DAKAR: Six more fatalities have been reported in the clashes between police and opposition supporters in Senegal, bringing the death toll to 15, according to the government.
Tensions remain high after nine people were killed on Thursday, following the sentencing of popular opposition leader Ousmane Sonko to two years in prison for alleged corruption, after being acquitted of rape charges.
Government spokesperson Maham Ka informed AFP that an additional four deaths occurred on Friday evening in the capital city of Dakar and its suburbs, along with two deaths in Ziguinchor. During the clashes, protesting youths confronted security forces, leading to the ransacking of public and private property, banks, and shops.
Tension in Senegal Following Sentence to Opposition Leader
The aftermath of the violence was visible with burned-out cars, debris-filled streets, and tire remnants. By early Saturday afternoon, the interior ministry reported no further instances of violence, although a significant number of police and military personnel remained deployed throughout the area.
Sonko, who was tried in absentia and claimed the charges were fabricated to hinder his potential presidential candidacy in the upcoming elections, has not yet been taken into custody to serve his prison sentence.
His impending arrest is expected to further escalate tensions. Currently confined to his residence in Dakar, Sonko alleges that he is being “illegally held” by security forces, who have surrounded his home since the weekend.
