Senegal’s foreign ministry announced on Tuesday the temporary closure of its consulates abroad, including those in Paris and New York, as unprecedented political violence wreaked havoc in the West African nation and their diplomatic missions abroad.
The ministry described the measure as a “precautionary measure”. a statementnoting a “recent series of attacks” on its “diplomatic and consular missions.”
“These acts have caused significant damage, especially to the consulate general of Senegal in Milan, where the machines for producing passports and national identity cards have been destroyed,” continued the ministry, which indicated that operations will resume a once “the necessary material and security conditions are met”. “
9 DEAD IN SENEGALESE IN SENEGAL FOR THE CONDEMNATION OF THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION
Days of unrest have hit the streets of Dakar and other metropolitan centers across the country, during which at least 16 people were killed, about 500 arrested and hundreds more injured in clashes between protesters and police.
A protester throws a stone at police during a riot in Dakar, Senegal, on June 3, 2023. Senegal has temporarily closed diplomatic consulates worldwide due to widespread political violence in Dakar and other metropolitan centers, initially sparked by the criminal conviction and the sentence of the leader of the popular opposition Ousmane Sonko. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
Senegalese authorities have tried to quell the violence by restricting access to social media applications, including Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter, which are believed to be used by protesters and rioters as their primary means of communication. Cutoffs have also been installed on several of the country’s main transport routes.
The unrest has been perpetrated mainly by young supporters of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, who was convicted in absentia on Thursday of “corruption of the youth”, resulting in a two-year prison sentence.
Sonko was simultaneously acquitted of a rape charge.
THE LEADER OF THE SENEGALESE OPPOSITION, OUSMANE SONKO, CONVICTED OF CORRUPTION OF YOUNG PEOPLE, ABSOLUTELY ACCUSED OF RAPE
Sonko, a potential presidential candidate who heads the left-wing PASTEF party and enjoys overwhelming youth support, is seen as the biggest threat to incumbent Macky Sall’s re-election prospects next year. Sonko’s criminal conviction legally bars him from challenging Sall.
Senegal is generally considered one of the most politically stable nations in Africa, although growing discontent, particularly among young people who have leaned towards Sonko, with unemployment, corruption and perceived repression of the government against political opponents, has fueled widespread civil unrest in recent years.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Sall’s government has overseen the prosecutions of other potential political rivals, including Khalifa Sall (no relation to the president) and Karim Wade, both convicted of fraudulent use of funds ahead of the 2019 election.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
