Police clash with assailants in Congo capital

Clashes have erupted in Congo’s capital, Brazzaville, between police and armed assailants in the first outbreak of violence in the African country weeks after the re-election of President Denis Sassou Nguesso.

According to the reports, the gunfire broke out at 3 a.m. local time on Monday in the capital’s southern neighborhoods of Makelekele and Bacongo, which are opposition’s strongholds, and continued for three hours. The firing resumed again at 8 a.m., witnesses said.

Assailants torched police station and a government building. Several explosions were also heard during the clashes.

Supporters of opposition group shouted “Sassou, leave!” and erected barricades near the main roundabout in Makelekele.

Clashes came as the African country’s Constitutional Court was studying the validity of results from the recent presidential election.

SS