CONAKRY: Fresh violence erupted in the Guinean capital on Tuesday after a day of clashes between police and anti-government protesters that left one dead and several with gunshot wounds, a correspondents witnessed.

Hundreds of youths threw stones at police who responded with tear gas and warning shots, bringing traffic to a standstill on a main highway into the central Conakry, although there were no immediate reports of injuries.

A photographer witnessed several arrests, while security forces were deployed in large numbers to prevent opposition supporters gathering at locations where unauthorised rallies were planned.

Residents in the Hamdallaye suburb of the city of two million people complained that police had raided their homes.

“I could not make any calls because my phones are out of battery. We have not had electricity for four days,” a witness said.

Gunfire could be heard in the district of Cosa around 8:30 am (0830 GMT) after a night of relative calm, a reporter said, although it was not clear if they were intended to do harm or were just warning shots.

Shops remained shut across Conakry and the Marche Madina — one of the largest markets in west Africa — was closed.

Published in Dawn, April 15th, 2015

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