Deadly anti-government protests erupt in Sierra Leone

By CLARENCE ROY-MACAULAY
Associated Press

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (AP) — Sierra Leone’s vice president says there have been fatalities amid clashes between antigovernment protesters and police in the capital. Demonstrators on Wednesday called for President Julius Maada Bio to step down. Tensions have been rising in the West African country over the rising cost of living in recent weeks, with anger directed at the government. In a national broadcast, Vice President Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh confirmed that the protests had turned deadly but did not announce a toll. He said a nationwide curfew was going into effect at 3 p.m. in a bid to stem the violence. Bio, who was elected in 2018, still has 10 months left in his term.