FREETOWN, Sierra Leone Sierra Leones president declared a nationwide curfew Sunday after gunmen attacked the navy’s foremost and largest barracks within the West African nation’s capital after which overran detention facilities, together with a serious jail.
The assault raised fears of a breakdown of order amid a surge of coups within the area.
The detention facilities, together with the Pademba Street Prisons holding greater than 2,000 inmates had been attacked simply as safety forces fought to revive calm throughout sustained shootouts on the Wilberforce navy barracks, in keeping with Info Minister Chernor Bah.
The prisons had been overrun (and) some prisoners had been kidnapped by the assailants whereas many others had been launched, Bah stated. Safety forces managed to push again the assailants to the outskirts of the town the place preventing continues, he added.
Sierra Leones President Julius Maada Bio earlier declared a nationwide curfew in response to the assaults.
An Related Press journalist within the capital stated that gunshots had been nonetheless heard within the metropolis hours after the federal government assured residents of calm, though it wasnt clear who was behind the change of fireside, nor if any arrests had been made.
The safety forces are making progress within the operation to defeat and apprehend these chargeable for todays assaults, Bah stated. The federal government stays in management and on high of the state of affairs.
The president and the nation’s Ministry of Info and Training additionally each stated that the federal government and safety forces are in charge of the state of affairs, attempting to dismiss fears of a potential escalation of violence within the nation whose inhabitants of 8 million individuals is among the many poorest on the earth, having a few of the lowest scores on the U.N. Human Improvement Index.
No particulars had been instantly given in regards to the gunmen or the explanation for the assault, which comes months after Bio was reelected for a second time period in a disputed vote through which the primary opposition occasion accused the electoral fee of rigging the outcomes.
Movies posted on-line confirmed troopers patrolling Freetown’s empty streets and captured the loud blasts of gunshots at daybreak. The AP could not instantly confirm the authenticity of the movies.
West Africa’s regional financial bloc ECOWAS of which Sierra Leone is a member described the incident as a plot to amass arms and disturb the peace and constitutional order within the nation. The bloc has in current months tried to reverse the surge in coups in West and Central Africa, which has recorded eight navy takeovers since 2020, the most recent in Niger and Gabon this 12 months.
ECOWAS reiterates its zero tolerance for unconstitutional change of presidency, the bloc stated in an announcement.
Bio was reelected in Sierra Leones fifth presidential election because the finish of a brutal 11-year civil battle greater than 20 years in the past which left tens of hundreds of individuals lifeless and destroyed the countrys economic system.
He continues to face criticism due to debilitating financial situations. Practically 60% of Sierra Leones inhabitants is dealing with poverty, with the youth unemployment fee being one of many highest in West Africa.
Two months after Bio gained the disputed vote, police stated they arrested a number of individuals, together with senior navy officers planning to make use of protests to undermine peace within the nation.
A protest in opposition to the federal government in August final 12 months resulted within the deaths of greater than 30 individuals, together with six cops.