Sierra Leone Declares Nationwide Curfew After Attack on Armory

The authorities in Sierra Leone declared a nationwide curfew on Sunday, hours after what they described as a thwarted effort by unidentified males to interrupt into one of many West African nation’s key army armories and barracks.

The nation’s president, Julius Maada Bio, mentioned early Sunday that there had been “a breach of safety” on the Wilberforce army barracks within the capital, Freetown, as “some unidentified people attacked the army armory.”

“Nonetheless, they have been repelled,” he mentioned on social media, “and calm has been restored.”

Mr. Bio referred to as on the general public to remain indoors, including: “We will proceed to guard the peace and safety of Sierra Leone in opposition to the forces that want to truncate our much-cherished stability.”

The barracks are strategically positioned close to Mr. Bio’s residence, and the armory is without doubt one of the most necessary locations the place weapons are saved.

In keeping with native journalists, heavy gunfire was heard early Sunday in Freetown, and troopers with rocket-propelled grenades and rifles may very well be seen establishing army blockades in some strategic elements of town. A flurry of movies posted on social media purported to indicate prisoners launched from Pademba Highway Jail, a detention middle within the capital.

Later Sunday, the ministry of data mentioned that “main detention facilities have been attacked,” and that “many” prisoners had been launched, whereas others had been kidnapped by assailants.

But it surely mentioned that a lot of the capital was calm, and that safety forces had “pushed again the assailants to the outskirts of town.”

It added, “The federal government stays in management and on high of the scenario.”

The information reverberated throughout the area, which in recent times has endured a collection of army coups. In Guinea, Sierra Leone’s neighbor, a junta guidelines regardless of worldwide efforts to revive civilian governments.

Mr. Bio, 59, a former army officer who took half in two coups throughout Sierra Leone’s civil warfare within the Nineties, was re-elected this 12 months. However the results of the vote was rejected by his fundamental opponent and questioned by some observers who cited a scarcity of transparency.

America Embassy condemned “within the strongest potential phrases” Sunday’s tried break-in and urged residents to cooperate with authorities safety forces. “Such actions haven’t any justification,” it mentioned in an announcement.

Below Mr. Bio’s management, a further a million kids in Sierra Leone have begun attending faculty. However the nation has been combating report ranges of inflation and unemployment, and a few of the highest ranges of meals insecurity in West Africa. He has additionally been accused of overseeing violent repression of protests, together with in the summertime of 2022, when greater than two dozen folks died in clashes amid demonstrations over rising costs.

Joseph Johnson contributed reporting.