FREETOWN: Armed clashes erupted in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, on Sunday after what the government said was an attack on a military armoury, as it imposed an immediate national curfew.
Witnesses said they heard gunshots and explosions in the city’s Wilberforce district, where the armoury is located, along with a number of embassies, AFP reported.
Other witnesses reported exchanges of fire near a barracks in Murray Town district, home to the navy, as well as outside another military site in the city. Footages posted on social networks showed numerous prisoners had escaped from the central jail.
The situation remained confusing after midday, with the authorities giving no further statements on the attackers’ objectives after saying calm had been restored.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) issued a statement highlighting “its zero-tolerance for unconstitutional change of government”.
Echoing language used to condemn coup attempts in the past, ECOWAS spoke of its “utter disgust” over a plot by certain individuals to acquire arms and disturb the peace and constitutional order in the country.
The government said those attempting to break into the armoury at a major military barracks had been repelled, but the citizens were asked to stay at home. Information Minister Chernor Bah said that the people are assured that the government and state security forces are in control.
To enable the security forces to continue the process of apprehending the attackers, a nationwide curfew is declared with immediate effect across the country, he said. No details were provided on the alleged perpetrators of the attack.
Political Crisis in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone, an English-speaking nation in West Africa, has been going through a political crisis following presidential and general polls in June this year. President Julius Maada Bio also offered assurances that calm had been restored in the capital.
He said in a statement on X, that in the early hours of this morning, there was a breach of security at the army barracks at Wilberforce in Freetown as some unidentified individuals attacked the military armoury.
However, he said that they were repelled by our gallant Security Forces and calm has been returned to the capital.
