Ethnic violence intensifies in Guinea as legislative elections approach
Ethnic violence intensifies in Guinea as legislative elections approach
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On July 14th, the killing of a young man at a gas station triggered days of intense violence in Nzérékoré and Koulé, cities in southeastern Guinea Conakry. Clashes resulted in the death of around 100 people, according to government spokesman Albert Damatang Camara. The violence came shortly after President Alpha Condé announced that long-delayed legislative elections would finally occur on September 24th. The last legislative elections were in 2002, and the road to holding new legislative elections has been a rocky one. Within the past eleven years, Guinea has experienced the death of former president Lansana Conté, a military coup and a presidential election tainted by accusations of vote rigging. Ethnic politics now play a part in Guinea’s political crisis. Vincent Foucher, senior analyst for International Crisis Group, puts recent clashes into context for us. (Photo: AP Images).