In Guinea, an opposition coalition has reported the tragic loss of four young lives in confrontations with security forces, coinciding with the anniversary of the military takeover in 2021. The incidents occurred on both Monday and Tuesday.
In a statement released early Wednesday on the official Facebook page of the Forces Vives, a collective comprising various opposition parties and organizations, it was confirmed that four young males between the ages of 15 and 18 lost their lives.
These casualties now bring the total fatalities at the hands of security forces to 30 since June 2022, according to the opposition. This date marks a shift in the opposition’s stance towards the junta, following initial restraint observed after the military’s seizure of power on September 5, 2021. Since that fateful day, 108 individuals have been wounded by gunfire, and hundreds more have been arrested and detained without due process, the Forces Vives assert.
Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, who was sworn in as president after the coup, imposed a ban on public demonstrations in May 2022. Nevertheless, the Forces Vives called for a march on the anniversary of the coup, demanding a swift return to civilian rule. They accuse the authorities of usurping power, suppressing freedoms, and, more recently, enriching themselves.
Security forces were heavily deployed to prevent the march from taking place in Conakry on Tuesday. As is often the case, clashes between youth groups and security forces erupted on the outskirts of the capital.
Under international pressure, the military junta that toppled President Alpha Condé in 2021 has committed to transferring power to elected civilians by the end of 2024, allowing time for extensive reforms.
However, the Forces Vives accuse the authorities of making no progress in this regard. In contrast, on Tuesday, the Minister of Territorial Administration, Mory Condé, asserted that the government was “ahead” of the timetable agreed upon with the regional organization ECOWAS for the return of civilians to lead the politically turbulent nation.
