Protesters set tyres on fire and threw stones at security forces on Wednesday night during protests against a nationwide dusk-to-dawn curfew imposed almost three months ago because of the coronavirus pandemic. The unrest in Senegal’s capital followed similar actions in the holy city of Touba a night earlier, where crowds of people torched an ambulance, threw rocks and looted office buildings. There were also protests in the Kaolack region in the south of the country, a local official said. Senegal’s government has not faced major opposition to its handling of the pandemic, but the economy has been hit hard by measures including the overnight curfew and a ban on inter-regional travel. Senegal has confirmed almost 4,000 cases of COVID-19, including 45 deaths. Dakar and Touba, which is both a trading hub and major pilgrimage destination, have been hardest hit.
SOURCE: AL JAZEERA