Two officers suspected of playing a major role in the November 26, 2023 coup attempt in Sierra Leone have been killed during a special forces operation near Freetown.
The Sierra Leonean government announced Tuesday the death of two officers suspected of being involved in an attempted coup a year earlier. According to a statement from the Ministry of Information, Captains Aiah Aba Senesie and TL Konteh were killed during an operation carried out by special forces in a district near Freetown.
The statement said the fugitives resisted arrest by opening fire on security forces, leading to an exchange of fire during which they were fatally injured. They are described as “key players” in the aborted attempt of November 26, 2023 and were also suspected of preparing new destabilizing actions.
During the events of November 2023, armed attackers stormed a military armory, several barracks, two prisons and police stations, triggering clashes with security forces. These attacks caused the death of 21 people and allowed the escape of hundreds of prisoners before order was restored. The authorities then accused members of the armed forces of being behind this attempted coup.
Since then, at least 80 people, mainly soldiers, have been arrested. In July, eleven of them were convicted of treason and murder. Among those convicted is Amadu Koita Makalo, former bodyguard of ex-president Ernest Bai Koroma, who received a cumulative sentence of 182 years in prison.
These unrest have reignited fears of new coups in West Africa, a region marked by a series of putsches since 2020. However, gray areas remain regarding the exact nature of the events of 2023.
The Information Ministry said the search continues to apprehend other fugitives still on the run.
APA/AFP
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