Sierra Leone Lifts Indefinite Curfew after Attacks on Military Base and Prison
Sierra Leone has lifted an indefinite nationwide curfew imposed on Sunday after armed men attacked a military barrack and prisons in Freetown.
A new night curfew will begin from 21:00 to 06:00 local time every day “until further notice”.
President Julius Maada Bio addressed the nation, saying most of the leaders of Sunday’s unrest had been arrested and will be held accountable.
Calm has been restored, he added.
Mr. Bio described the events as an attack on democracy but did not name the perpetrators or speak of an attempted coup.
Earlier on Sunday the government said “renegade soldiers” were to blame and that they had tried to break into the armory at the barracks.
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The assailants are said to have freed some prison inmates and abducted others.
President Bio was re-elected in June, but in August some military officers were arrested, and accused of plotting a coup against him.
International observers have condemned inconsistencies and a lack of transparency in the count, as well as acts of violence and intimidation.
After the attack, the Ministry of Information declared an immediate curfew, which was due to be lifted at 06:00 (GMT) on Monday.
Residents across the country were “strongly” recommended to stay indoors and flights to and from the nation’s only international airport have been canceled.
On Sunday morning, the BBC witnessed soldiers in Freetown carrying heavy weaponry in a seized police vehicle and saw others chanting that they planned to “clean Sierra Leone”.
