Public safety incident

At least 10 people have been killed and 13 others injured in clashes between protesters and security forces in northeastern Guinea during an operation to enforce restrictions on artisanal gold mining, the government said.The violence broke out on Wednesday in Balato, in the Siguiri region, as defence and security forces conducted patrols to verify compliance with a ban on artisanal gold mining, Al Jazeera reported.According to a statement from the Ministry of Territorial Administration issued late Thursday, protesters erected barricades to block the patrol, leading to clashes and exchanges of gunfire. The ministry did not specify which side opened fire.Among those killed were five foreign nationals whose identities have not yet been established. The injured included both civilians and security personnel.The clashes also resulted in the burning of two pick-up trucks and a security forces vehicle. Protesters reportedly took a firearm and a motorcycle, according to the ministry.Judicial authorities have been tasked with investigating the circumstances surrounding the violence and establishing responsibility.Guinea introduced a ban on artisanal gold mining in Siguiri on November 2, citing environmental damage caused by mining activities. Authorities said non-compliance with regulations had contributed to pollution of rivers, damage to agricultural land and the destruction of vegetation.
The restrictions triggered a mass exodus of foreign miners and workers. Neighbouring Mali said around 100,000 people had arrived in Bamako and nearly 60,000 in the border town of Kouremale after leaving Guinea.Burkina Faso said on Friday that it had repatriated 45,406 of its citizens who were forced to leave Guinea following the ban.Artisanal and small-scale gold mining provides livelihoods for more than 300,000 people in Guinea, according to the UN Environment Programme. The government says the restrictions are intended to limit environmental harm, including damage caused by heavy machinery and river pollution from chemicals.Authorities have arrested more than 1,200 people suspected of illegal gold mining in the Siguiri region this month. The first mass trials of those detained began this week.