East Africa: About eighteen individuals have died on Monday after police officials in Madagascar opened fire on what they called a lynch mob angered at the kidnapping of an albino child, according to the senior doctor.
Dozens the injured, some of them seriously. Chief Physician at a hospital in southeastern Madagascar, doctor Tango Oscar Toky mentioned in the statement, “At the moment, 18 people have died in all, nine on the spot and nine in hospital.”
The doctor asserted while giving the information related to the injuries, “Of the 34 injured, nine are between life and death.”
Along with this, about 500 individuals armed with blades and machetes “tried to force their way” into the station, a police officer involved in the shooting noted, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The officer shared the information over the phone from the town of Ikongo, 90 kilometres (56 miles) southeast of the capital Antananarivo, “There were negotiations, (but) the villagers insisted.”
The police officials first fired teargas and then rounds in the air to disperse the crowd, he mentioned in the statement.
The officer added to the statement, “They continued to force their way through.”
The national police in the capital confirmed the “unfortunate event” but only gave a toll of 11, with 18 wounded.
Additionally, Andry Rakhotondrazaka, the head of the national police, disclosed that the incident was a “very tragic occurrence. Although it was avoidable, it nonetheless occurred.
The police officers heard him say that he “tried everything to avoid conflict,” including bargaining with the mob.
He said, “But there were provocations” and “people with long-bladed knives and sticks,” adding that others threw stones at the police.
“Gendarmes employed tear gas. However, it was insufficient to stop the mob from moving forward. The air was filled with gunfire.”