Africa-Press. A person was killed and five others were injured in clashes between protesters and security forces on the island of Anjouan, as unrest spread across the archipelago due to rising fuel prices.
The prosecutor’s office stated in a release that “the prosecutor’s office in Moutsamoudou informed the public of a tragic incident today in Anjouan, in the Mbaj region, resulting in one death and five injuries.”
Clashes erupted on Friday following a meeting between the mayor of Mirontsy and the fishermen’s association, which had been on strike since Wednesday in protest against rising fuel prices. Roads in Moutsamoudou, the capital of Anjouan, were blocked with stones, and a judicial investigation was opened to determine the circumstances surrounding the death.
These disturbances follow a broader strike that began on Monday after the government raised diesel prices by 46% and gasoline prices by 35%, citing the war in Iran as justification. Public transport was paralyzed in the capital Moroni, and 39 people have been arrested since the strike began, according to the national human rights committee.
The government announced reductions in official travel costs and a 40% decrease in customs fees in an attempt to ease tensions.
