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GAF refutes allegation of killing 9 civilians at Bawku

The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has described as false and unfounded the allegation that military personel deplyoed to engage in ‘Operation Gonggong’, to restore calm in Bawku, Upper East Region, are killing innocent civilians in their homes.

A statement issued in Accra on Thursday and signed by the Director of the GAF Public Affais Directorate, Naval Captain Micheal Addo Larbi, said the allegations were false.

It explained that information re­ceived from the National Investiga­tions Bureau (NIB) by the Opera­tion Gongong Team of GAF early this week, indicated that passengers on board a yellow KIA Grand Bird Bus with Registration Number AS 3672-21 travelling from Accra to Missiga were attacked by unknown gunmen, around Kpawelga on the Bawku Highway.

The GAF said the gunmen fired through the tyre and engine compartment of the vehicle, which was currently packed at Assylum Down, a Bawku Divisional Police Station, for investigation to be conducted.

“A KIA Rhino truck with reg­istration number AS 7093-17 was also hit and the driver of the truck, Alhassan Abdella, aged 40, suffered a gunshot wound on the left foot and is currently receiving treatment at the Bawku Presbyterian Hospi­tal.”

The GAF said on Wednesday, gun shots were heard around South Natinga in Bawku, and a patrol team rushed to the area of the shooting, where a suspect, Abdul Malik Haruna, 35, was arrested and handed over to the Bawku Police for investigation.

The statement said following a tip off by the Bawku Police on the hideout of the suspects alleged to be involved in the firing incident, at Bawku, troops together with Bawku Police at Pateleme General cordoned the place and carried out a search.

The GAF said three suspects, Fatau Alhassan Binda, 42, Abu­bakar Iddrisu, 44, and Alhassan Mustapha Binda, 33, were arrested in a house at Pateleme and handed over to the Bawku Police for fur­ther investigations.

According to the statement, in a separate incident, sporadic firing was heard around Sabongari General Area and a patrol team dispatched to assess the situation spotted unknown armed men at Gozesi-Valley side, in Sabongari wearing black T-shirts, with Black Hoodies, and the troops engaged them and neutralised six armed men.

“During the engagement, some armed men took cover in a mud house within the immediate vicinity to engage the team, and one of the armed men attempted to attack the troops with a cutlass, but was disarmed.

“A woman who found with a gunshot injury on left-hand during the operation was taken to Bawku Presbyterian Hospital by troops for treatment.”

The statement said the GAF, therefore, wishes to assure the gen­eral public of its commitment to protecting the citizenry at all times.

BY TIMES REPORTER

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