At least 22 people, including a police officer, have been killed in Angola following days of violent unrest triggered by a recent fuel price hike, the country’s interior minister, Manuel Homem, confirmed on Wednesday.
The protests erupted on Monday during a nationwide taxi strike, with looting, clashes with police, and sporadic gunfire reported across Luanda and other cities.
The strike followed a government decision to increase fuel prices from 300 to 400 kwanzas ($0.33 to $0.43) per litre on July 1, intensifying the cost-of-living burden on millions in one of Africa’s top oil-producing nations.
Nearly 200 people were injured and over 1,200 arrested during the unrest. Shops and businesses in Luanda remained shut on Wednesday as security forces maintained heavy patrols. Streets were mostly deserted, though queues formed at some petrol stations and stores.
Tensions had been simmering for weeks, with about 2,000 protesters taking to the streets in Luanda last Saturday, condemning both the price hike and alleged government corruption.
Similar demonstrations were held in the two preceding weekends. Police earlier confirmed that four people were killed on Monday, the first day of the unrest.
