Relative calm have returned to the West African country, Sierra Leone especially in their capital, Freetown on Thursday, August 11, after a nationwide curfew was imposed.
A curfew imposed on Wednesday would continue from Thursday between 7pm (19:00 GMT) and 7am, the police said, without specifying an end date for the measure.
Recall that hundreds of citizens took to the streets of Siera Leone on Wednesday, 10 August in a public display of anger over economic conditions in the country and to protest the perceived failure by the government to cushion the effect of increase in the cost of living.
What began on Wednesday as a peaceful assembly by market women to draw attention to “economic hardship” descended into clashes between security forces and young men demanding the president resign, Al-jazeera reports.
At least six protesters and six police officers were killed during anti-government protests in the city on Wednesday.
President of the country, Julius Maada Bio, who had been in the United Kingdom on a private visit, returned ahead of scheduled curfew on Wednesday night.
The internet was cut for two hours on Wednesday and again overnight.
The president said on Twitter “as a government, we have the responsibility to protect every citizen of Sierra Leone,” describing the events as “unfortunate” and promising an investigation.
“I urge all Sierra Leoneans to be calm,” he added.
The United Nations, European Union, UK and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have all condemned the Wednesday’s violence.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, urged the government to hold prompt, impartial and thorough investigations and bring those responsible to account regardless of their status and political affiliation.
“I urge all sides to embrace dialogue,” she said.
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