At least seven protesters killed in Guinea protests this week - hospital staff

CONAKRY, 16 Oct. - (ANA) - At least seven protesters were killed by security forces in Guinea this week during demonstrations against a possible change to the constitution that could let President Alpha Conde seek a third term, hospital staff in the capital Conakry said.

Police opened fire on demonstrators on Monday as they ransacked military posts and blocked roads with burning tires in the capital Conakry and protests in the northern opposition stronghold of Mamou also turned violent, witnesses said.

Protests have continued since Monday with decreasing intensity.

“We have received seven bodies in various hospitals since Monday, all were killed on the spot or shot and wounded before succumbing their injuries later,” a medical officer told Reuters.

A government spokesman was not available for comment.

A coalition of opposition groups said on Wednesday that in all 10 people have been killed since Monday. It provided a list of the dead that included a 14-year-old schoolboy called Boubacar Diallo.

It said in a statement that 70 others had been wounded by bullets and that 200 people had been arrested.

Conde’s second and final five-year term expires in 2020 but the 81-year-old leader has refused to rule out running again. He asked his government last month to look into drafting a new constitution, bringing calls from opposition leaders for a series of demonstrations starting this week.  - (ANA) -

AB/ANA/16 October 2019 - - -