LOME, April 29: A firebomb razed the German cultural institute in Togo’s capital Lome on Friday and troops turned up the heat on the opposition, shattering a brief calm after a violently disputed presidential poll in the West African state. The EU voiced “serious concern” after the pre-dawn blaze ignited the Goethe Institut.

“The (EU) firmly condemns the current wave of violence and calls urgently on all sides to restore calm,” said the EU’s Luxembourg presidency.

It also called on Togo’s security forces “to carry out their duty of keeping order while fully respecting human rights,” while urging national leaders “to show the utmost responsibility and follow the path of national reconciliation.”

The firebombing caused an estimated 390,000 dollars in damage to the stately building, capping a week of deadly violence triggered by an announcement that Faure Gnassingbe will succeed his father as president despite opposition claims of vote fraud.—AFP