In Saraya province, located in the southeast of Senegal, a devastating fire on Monday left at least two people dead and seven others injured. The incident occurred as authorities intensified pressure on demonstrators protesting reforms to mining contracting practices. The clash between security forces and protesters unfolded in Khossanto, the provincial municipality where the confrontation drew significant attention from national and local observers alike.
Following the blaze, security authorities detained a minimum of 37 people, according to the Senegalese news agency APS. The arrests added to rising tensions in the area and sparked calls for calm from community leaders and human rights organizations alike.
The mayor of Khossanto, Mahamady Sissoko, appealed for restraint and urged residents to remain at home to prevent further confrontations with security personnel. He noted personal loss during the unrest, stating that his own brother had died amid the demonstrations. Sissoko described the ongoing arrests as persistent, seemingly occurring directly in people’s homes, and he characterized the pattern as abnormal given the circumstances on the ground.
Various NGOs, including Amnesty International, condemned the crackdown and called for an independent and impartial investigation into what they described as violent suppression by public authorities. They criticized the conduct of the protests and questioned the governor’s decree that regulated the operations of mining contracting commissions, arguing that the changes favored regional administrative recruitment while disadvantaging local village heads who chaired the commissions. The situation drew scrutiny not only from international observers but also from local community advocates who emphasized the need for transparent procedures and accountability in the handling of labor reforms tied to mining projects.