Seven illegal miners were killed, and one was seriously injured during a gunfight with military personnel in western Ghana, according to the military. The clash occurred on Saturday in Obuasi, a town in the Ashanti Region, when about 60 illegal miners breached the security perimeter of AngloGold Ashanti’s Deep Decline facility. The miners reportedly opened fire on the soldiers stationed there, prompting a return of fire in self-defense.
The miners were armed with a variety of weapons, including locally made rifles, pump-action guns, gas cylinders, knives, heavy-duty bolt cutters, axes, and machetes. The military’s response resulted in seven fatalities and one injured miner, while the remaining miners fled the scene. One soldier was also injured by pellets from a pump-action gun and has since been treated for his wounds.
In the wake of the incident, Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama has ordered a thorough investigation to understand the circumstances of the clash and to hold accountable anyone found to have acted unlawfully. Security forces have been deployed to Obuasi, one of the world’s oldest gold mining towns, to restore order and prevent further conflicts.
The Ghanaian government has been stepping up efforts to address illegal mining activities, particularly in regions where mining concessions are vulnerable. AngloGold Ashanti, a major player in the country’s gold mining sector, owns the Iduapriem and Obuasi mines, which collectively produced over 490,000 ounces of gold last year.
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