Three people have been killed in clashes in Liberia between supporters of the country’s two main political parties ahead of next week’s elections, according to the UN and a West African regional bloc.
President George Weah officially launched his campaign for a second term on Thursday, in front of thousands of supporters in the capital Monrovia ahead of next month’s polls.
The clashes on Friday were between the Unity Party of former vice president Joseph Boakai and the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) of George Weah, the ex-international football star turned politician and president since 2018.
In a statement, the UN and ECOWAS called on the leaders of the two parties “to strongly” urge their supporters to “refrain from provocation and any other acts of violence”.
Guaranteeing fair and peaceful elections is key in voting in a country ravaged by back-to-back civil wars between 1989 and 2003 that left more than 250,000 people dead.
Liberia’s main political parties pledged in April 2023 to avoid violence and turn to the courts to resolve electoral conflicts that may arise before and after the polls.
Keen supporters of the West African country’s leader, a former international football star, began descending on a stadium in central Monrovia at dawn for the event.
Despite the ongoing clashes the Liberian leader said “I am extremely pleased you put your confidence in me to lead our country over the last six years,”
