At least 10 people have been killed and 13 others injured following violent clashes between protesters and security forces in northeastern Guinea during an operation to enforce restrictions on artisanal gold mining.
The Guinean Ministry of Territorial Administration said the violence erupted on Wednesday in Balato, within the Siguiri region, as defence and security personnel conducted inspections to verify compliance with a government ban on artisanal gold mining.
According to a statement issued late Thursday, protesters erected barricades to block the security patrol, triggering confrontations that escalated into exchanges of gunfire.
The ministry did not establish who fired the first shots.
Among those killed were five foreign nationals whose identities had yet to be confirmed. The 13 injured included both civilians and members of the security forces.
The clashes also resulted in the destruction of three vehicles, including two pick-up trucks and a security forces truck, which were set ablaze.
Protesters also reportedly seized a firearm and a motorcycle belonging to the security personnel.
Judicial authorities have since been directed to investigate the circumstances surrounding the violence, establish what triggered the confrontation and determine individual responsibility.
The unrest follows a government decision on November 2 to suspend artisanal gold mining activities in Siguiri, citing widespread violations of mining regulations and growing environmental concerns.
Authorities argue that unregulated mining has contributed to the destruction of agricultural land, pollution of rivers and damage to vegetation through the use of heavy machinery and harmful chemicals.
The enforcement measures have also triggered displacement among foreign nationals working in Guinea's gold mining sector, particularly citizens of neighbouring West African countries.
Mali reported last week that approximately 100,000 people had arrived in its capital, Bamako, while nearly 60,000 others had crossed into the border town of Kouremale after leaving Guinea following the announcement of the restrictions.
Meanwhile, Burkina Faso announced that it had repatriated 45,406 of its citizens who were forced to leave Guinea as a result of the mining ban.
The crackdown has also seen authorities arrest more than 1,200 people suspected of engaging in illegal gold mining in the Siguiri region earlier this month. The first mass trials involving some of the suspects have since commenced.
Artisanal and small-scale gold mining remains a major source of livelihood across West Africa. In Guinea, the United Nations Environment Programme estimates that the sector supports more than 300,000 people.
However, the government maintains that the restrictions are necessary to address environmental degradation and restore compliance with mining regulations.
The latest violence highlights the growing tensions between authorities seeking to regulate the mining sector and communities whose livelihoods depend on informal gold extraction.
