Four persons have been arrested in connection with some violent clashes at Bawku on Friday, January 10, 2025, that led to the demise of two individuals.
The arrests, confirmed by the Upper East Regional Police Command, were made by a military-led operation meant to curb the ongoing violence in the area.
The operation led to the retrieval of eight assault rifles and a significant cache of ammunition.
Bawku has been plagued with ethnic conflicts for decades which escalates once in a while, leading to loss of lives and properties.
TV3’s Upper East Regional Correspondent, Castro Senyalah, reports the military operation, according to the security agencies, was aimed at subduing the tension in the area.
Police sources have disclosed that the recent violence was triggered by an attack on a passenger bus on Monday, January 06, 2025, injuring several people in the process.
Senyalah further reports that sources within the military and police have revealed that the oldest among the arrested suspects is 25 years old, with two of them being just 15 years of age, highlighting the disturbing extent of the conflict and the involvement of children.
Military-grade rifles were also found to be possessed by the armed gangs at Bawku.
The death toll from the conflict has now risen to 41 since renewed clashes broke out in October 2024.
The protracted conflict, rooted in chieftaincy disputes, continues to claim lives and disrupt socio-economic activities in Bawku and its surrounding communities.
Bawku has been a hotspot of ethnic tensions for years, with the conflict primarily involving the Kusasi and Mamprusi ethnic groups. Despite multiple interventions by successive governments, the situation remains volatile, with sporadic clashes erupting periodically.
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