World

Mosques reopened in Guinea by anti-lockdown protesters

Anti-lockdown protesters in Guinea on Wednesday forced open a handful of mosques that had been shut for weeks, according to witnesses, demonstrators and a local official.

It came a day after seven people were killed in clashes with police during protests against roadblocks set up during the pandemic and  frequent power cuts in the impoverished West African country, AFP reported.

The mosques had been closed since late March as part of measures to control the spread of the deadly disease in a nation that is around 80 percent Muslim.

Dozens of worshippers in the eastern town of Kamsar entered a mosque and thoroughly cleaned it before praying there, a witness said.

As they did so, the group comprised of women, young people and children chanted “Allahu akbar”, meaning “God is Greatest”, the witness added.

“The government is unable to protect us from the virus, so we are leaving it to God alone. How can markets stay open, but mosques be closed?” one young protester said on condition of anonymity.

“We would rather die praying than live without prayer,” he said.

Another protester said “we have won — we prayed in the mosque. We are no longer wearing masks. It’s over.”

According to the report, Politician Karamoko Bangoura described the scene as local media reported that around four or five mosques had been reopened under similar circumstances near the capital Conakry.

“We saw a crazed crowd go to the mosques and reopen their doors,” he said, adding that “it wasn’t violent at all, they just broke the padlocks”.

The head of one reopened mosque said he “thanked God” for the events, because “we were worried that we wouldn’t be able to pray with the end of Ramadan approaching”, referring to the holy month of fasting.

Guinea is one of the countries in the region worst-hit by the virus crisis and its poor sanitation system has raised fears of a severe epidemic.

According to the official figures, the country has recorded 2,213 cases resulting in 11 deaths.

Jamal Bangoura, Guinea’s secretary of state for religious affairs, on Wednesday called for “calm and restraint”, emphasising that the places of worship had been closed as part of the fight against the virus.

 

R

Leave a Comment

Recent Posts

Tunisia-Al-Bour: “IPSI’s partnerships with organizations supporting Zionist entity terminated since beginning of year” [Video]

Speaking to Tunisie Numérique, Institute of Press and Information Sciences(IPSI) diretcor, Dr. Hamida Al-Bour stated that…

2 heures ago

G-a-z-a death toll rises to 34,596

The Palestinian Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip said on Thursday that the number…

2 heures ago

Tunisia-Chebbi reveals details of agreement between University of Basic Education and Ministry of Education [Video]

Speaking to Tunisie Numérique, Assistant Secretary General of the University of Basic Education, Tawfiq Chebbi reported…

3 heures ago

Tunisia-Minister of Agriculture Chief of Cabinet : Poultry sector is one of pillars of food security (video)

 Minister of Agriculture Chief of Cabinet Abdul Raouf Al-Ajimi, highlighted the significance of the poultry…

4 heures ago

Tunisia-Fire in Nahli Mountain spread over area of 400 square metres

Cvil Protection Services declared that fire brigades affiliated with the Regional Civil Protection Administration in…

4 heures ago

Tunisia-Jebiniana: Discovery of metal boat manufacturing workshop

The General Directorate of the National Guard reported the discovery in Jebiniana in the governorate…

4 heures ago

This website uses cookies.