Gabon arrests up to 1,100 people in post-election chaos

Authorities in Gabon have arrested up to 1,100 people over two days of violence that erupted amid post-election tensions in the West African country.

Interior Minister Pacome Moubelet Boubeya told a news conference on Thursday that between 600 and 800 people had been arrested in the capital, Libreville, while 200 to 300 arrests were made elsewhere in Gabon.

The minister said that protesters had used grenades and police had seized AK-47 assault rifles. 

Chaos hit the country shortly after election officials declared on Wednesday that incumbent President Ali Bongo had won the presidential race.

Media agencies, citing witnesses and a police source, reported public disobedience in at least nine different suburbs of Libreville attributed to opposition forces.

Supporters of opposition leader Jean Ping set fire to the National Assembly while chanting “Ali must go.”

Security forces also raided the opposition headquarters in the capital, injuring several people there.

The opposition leader said two people had been killed and 19 others were injured in the police crackdown.

Earlier, the office of Bongo accused Ping’s camp of planning "coordinated attacks on symbols of the state.”

"These were not protests but coordinated acts intended to incite fear amongst the citizens who voted the 'wrong' way," the statement said.

SS