Promises, Promises

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Clashes between police and anti-government protesters this week killed at least seven people in Guinea, as demonstrations broke out again against the military junta that seized power nearly two years ago, Reuters reported.

Protests took place in the capital Conakry and other cities across the West African nation.

Opposition parties and civil society groups released a joint statement Wednesday confirming the death toll, adding that 32 others were injured and 56 people were arrested.

Since the 2021 coup, Guinea’s junta has faced protests, some of which have turned deadly after clashes with security forces.

The military government is among several in West Africa that have seized power in recent coups and has been delaying promised elections.

In October, authorities proposed a two-year transition to democracy, down from the previously rejected three-year timeline.

Meanwhile, neighboring Senegal is also bracing for anti-government protests after a court handed a popular opposition leader a suspended sentence in a libel case that could derail the politician’s candidacy in next year’s presidential elections, Al Jazeera noted.

Opposition figure Ousmane Sonko rejected the court’s ruling and called for mass protests against incumbent Macky Sall.

Concerns have been raised that Sall may exploit a recent amendment to the constitution, which could potentially reset his presidential term limit and enable him to run for re-election beyond 2024. The constitution currently restricts presidents to two terms.