One dead and several injured in protests over rising fuel prices in the Comoros Islands
Protests against rising fuel prices in the Comoros Islands
Written by: Ayman Ragab
Ongoing protests in the Comoros against soaring fuel prices have turned deadly, with one person killed and five others injured during overnight clashes with police on the island of Anjouan, local authorities confirmed Saturday.
According to a local judge who spoke to AFP, a young man was apparently killed by police gunfire at dawn, after a group of protesters tried to "disarm" security personnel who were working to disperse demonstrators and open roads in the town of Mbaj, located on the island of Anjouan, one of the islands of the Comoros archipelago in the Indian Ocean.
One dead
The island's public prosecutor's office confirmed in an official statement that a "tragic accident" had occurred, resulting in the death of one person and injuries to five others, without disclosing further details about the circumstances of the accident.
These developments come amid a wave of public anger and widespread strikes by truck drivers, shop owners and fishermen, protesting the government’s decision a week ago to raise fuel prices, which included a 46% increase in the price of diesel.
The crisis is directly linked to the economic repercussions of the military tensions between the United States and Israel on one side, and Iran on the other, which have led to severe disruptions in shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy corridors.
Oil price volatility
Iran imposed strict restrictions on the passage of oil and gas tankers through the strait in response to US-Israeli military operations against it, while the United States in turn imposed a blockade on Iranian ports, causing disruption to global energy supplies.
The Strait of Hormuz is a vital artery through which approximately 20% of global oil and gas exports pass under normal circumstances, which has made small countries dependent on fuel imports, especially island nations such as the Comoros, among the most affected by rising prices and supply shortages.
