Sierra Leone buries soldiers killed in ‘attempted coup’

Sierra Leone has buried 18 members of the security forces killed during what the government described as an attempted coup last week.

President Julius Maada Bio attended the burials of 16 soldiers, one police officer and a prison guard at the military cemetery in Freetown on Wednesday, according to information minister Chernor Bah.

Grieving family members were also present, along with religious, military and police representatives, while hundreds of people lined the path to the cemetery to pay their respects.

During the early hours of November 26, armed attackers stormed a military armoury, two barracks, two prisons and two police stations, clashing with security forces.

The fighting left a total of 21 people dead, according to Bah.

Since then, 60 people have been arrested in connection with what President Bio has described as an attempted coup.

On Saturday, Bio said that the response to the coup bid would be dictated by “respect for the law.”

West Africa has seen a series of coups since 2020 in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Guinea. Guinea-Bissau also had an “attempted coup” last week.

SOURCE: FRCN