Sierra Leone’s government has given assurances that security forces have pushed back to the outskirts of Freetown those responsible for the armed clashes that have rocked the capital since Sunday November 26 morning and that it is “in control” of the situation.
“The government remains in control and is master of the situation,” said the Ministry of Information in a statement published on social networks. It acknowledged that “assailants” had attacked Freetown’s prisons and that many inmates had escaped, but gave no further details about the “assailants.”
Armed clashes rocked the Sierra Leonean capital Freetown on Sunday morning after an abortive attempt to break into a military armory, according to the government, which imposed a national curfew.
Videos posted on social networks suggest that many inmates have escaped from the central prison in circumstances as yet undetermined. One man in a group filmed in the street indicated that he and the others were indeed escaped prisoners.
The situation was confused by midday, with the authorities remaining silent after having assured us they had the situation under control earlier in the morning.
The nature of the events remains unknown. The authorities merely referred to the attack on the armoury. In a press release, the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) spoke of an attempt to get hold of weapons but also of “disturbing the peace and constitutional order,” language commonly used for political coups.