A joint police and military force is trying to restore calm after no less than two persons were feared killed during clashes between Konkombas and Dagombas at Agbogbloshie, a suburb of Accra.
Eyewitnesses say the gruesome clashes began after a member of one of the ethnic groups reportedly stole a phone owned by a member of the other ethnic group on Monday.
The suspect was then pounced upon and beaten by a mob after which people from his ethnic group decided to retaliate which degenerated into a mass brawl.
Unconfirmed reports say a pregnant woman and a child were sent to the hospital in critical conditions.
Meanwhile, Greater Accra Regional Minister, Ishmael Ashitey has told Citi FM that his briefings by the Police indicate no deaths had been recorded in the feud and that the police were in control of the situation.
A youngman bleeding profusely from injuries he sustained in the fighting being driven to the hospital by the security agents. Photos by Innocent Owusu – GCGL
Members of the joint police and military force are having to serve warning shots in attempts to break into the Agbogbloshie Market which is the heartbeat of the current fighting. They had been cautious against the background of what they say are the rampant use of sophisticated guns and other weaponry by these ethnic groups.
Politics behind the fighting
The Member of Parliament for the area and former Youth and Sports Minister, Nii Lante Vanderpuije expressed regret at the unfolding violence and called on political leaders to step in and solve the recurring fighting once and for all.
He told Joy FM there can be no doubt that politics was behind the constant fighting and misunderstanding between these ethnic groups of Northern Ghana extraction that have settled at a common location but hardly see eye to eye on several fronts.
The joint police, military team parading the streets of the densely populated Agbogboshie slum to quell the fighting. Photos by Innocent Owusu – GCGL
