Guinea riots death toll rises to 59

The government said on Thursday that 49 people were shot dead on Monday, the bloodiest day of a 16 day strike that has now claimed 59 lives.

The government had initially reported ten deaths on Monday.

An official in the health ministry said on Thursday that 267 people were also injured in the violence on Monday, January 22.

The deaths occured when police clashed with striking protesters who were calling for the resignation of Lansana Conte, the Guinean president.


Sidiki Diakate, a senior official in the ministry of health said: "Of the 49 killed, 34 were in Conakry [the capital] and 15 in the provinces."

The government announcement came as demonstrations calling for Conte to resign continued across the country on Thursday for the 16th consecutive day of a strike aimed at ousting the president.

Conte, Guinea's long-time head of state had on Wednesday agreed in principle to name a consensus prime minister, one of the protesters' key demands.

Following this concession by the government, crisis talks re-started late on Thursday between representatives of Conte's regime and the trade unions who have organised the strike.

New protests

But despite the fresh attempt at dialogue between the government and the strikers, new protests broke out in parts of the country, as demonstrators renewed their demands that Conte resign, police said.

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