One person has been killed and five injured in clashes on Comoros’ Anjouan island as protests over rising fuel prices turned violent.
The unrest started Friday after a meeting between the mayor of Mirontsy and the fishermen’s association, which has been on strike since Wednesday. Protesters blocked roads in Mutsamudu, the island’s capital, with stones.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office confirmed the death and injuries occurred in the Mpage area and said a judicial investigation is underway.
The protests are part of a wider strike that began Monday after the government raised diesel prices by 46% and gasoline by 35%, blaming the Middle East conflict. Transport workers and shopkeepers have shut down public transport in the capital Moroni.
The National Human Rights Commission said 39 people have been detained since the strike began. The government has responded by cutting official travel and reducing customs duties by 40% to calm tensions.
