Five people have been killed and several others seriously injured in a deadly clash between two rival groups of illegal timber loggers in the wooded area of Sehwi Agyemadiem in the Juaboso District of the Western North Region.
According to reports, tensions over control of prime logging areas were the catalyst for the violent altercation that broke out early Tuesday.
Sources claim that both groups had been involved in illegal timber harvesting, which is becoming a bigger problem in the area.
Witnesses claim that the fight swiftly descended into chaos, with the factions brandishing pump-action guns, machetes, and other weapons frequently employed in illegal activities.
A Mitsubishi pickup truck with the registration number GE 9075-17 was set on fire during the violence.
Official identification of the deceased, who are thought to have belonged to one of the rival groups, is still pending. Police have been called in to help restore order, move the bodies, and begin investigating the incident.
The wounded individuals have been taken to hospitals in Sefwi Asawinso for immediate medical care.
Concerns about the growing threat of illegal logging in the area have been rekindled by this violent incident. To stop additional damage to the region’s natural resources and to reduce violence associated with these activities, local authorities and residents are demanding that forestry laws be strictly enforced.
