Freetown: Gunmen attack military barracks, Sierra Leone President announces nationwide curfew

A nationwide curfew came into effect on Sunday after gunmen attacked military barracks in the capital of the West African country. According to the news agency, unidentified gunmen attacked a military armory inside the barracks in the capital Freetown early in the morning. Five presidential elections have been held in the country since the end of a brutal 11-year civil war more than two decades ago.

Freetown (Sierra Leone), A nationwide curfew came into effect on Sunday after gunmen attacked military barracks in Freetown, the capital of the West African country Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio has announced this. The fear of deteriorating law and order has increased amid increasing incidents of coups in the region.

According to the news agency, unidentified gunmen attacked a military armory inside the barracks in the capital Freetown in the early morning. “They were driven back by security forces and peace has been restored,” President Bio said on X (formerly Twitter). A nationwide curfew has been declared and citizens have been advised to stay indoors as the joint team of our security forces continues to attack the fleeing insurgents.

Sierra Leone’s President tweeted

In June, Bio was chosen again for a second term. The main opposition party, however, claimed that the Sierra Leone Electoral Commission was working with them to rig the results, making these elections extremely contentious.

Since the bloody 11-year civil war ended more than 20 years ago, the nation has had five presidential elections. Bio is constantly being criticized because of its precarious financial situation. The over seven million people who live in Sierra Leone are nearly 60% poor, and the country has some of the highest rates of youth unemployment in West Africa.

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