Global Courant
KIGALI, Rwanda
Senegal announced on Tuesday that it has decided to close all its consulates abroad following attacks on diplomatic and consular missions in a number of cities amid political tensions within the country.
The move comes after attacks on several of the country’s diplomatic missions, including those in Bordeaux, Milan, Paris and New York, the ministry said.
“This precautionary measure was taken after a series of attacks that caused serious damage,” Foreign Minister Aissata Tall Sall said in a statement.
The shutdowns came after political tensions in Senegal sparked deadly protests in the capital, Dakar and other towns, after opposition leader Ousmane Sonko was sentenced to two years in prison last week.
At least 16 people were killed and more than 350 injured in three days of clashes between protesters and security forces on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Protests also spread to Senegalese diplomatic missions abroad. According to the ministry, the consulate general in Milan was specifically destroyed, passport processing machines and identity cards were destroyed.
Sali said services will resume “as soon as material and safety conditions allow”.
Italian media reported that protesters attacked Senegal’s consulate in Milan on Monday, where about 40 Sonko supporters carrying flags and anti-government symbols looted the building, attacked the consulate general and opened fire before police intervened.
Sonko was accused of raping and making death threats against Adji Sarr, a beauty salon employee in Dakar, in 2021.
On Thursday, the court acquitted Sonko of rape charges, but sentenced her to two years in prison for youth corruption and disqualified her from running in next year’s presidential election.
Sonko finished third against President Macky Sall in the 2019 election, but said during the hearing that the case against him was politically motivated to prevent him from running in 2024.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Communications said on Tuesday that it has restored access to mobile internet, which was cut off by deadly demonstrations across the country.
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