Deadly riots in Mozambique over rising prices
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Thursday, September 02, 2010
Six people, including two children, are reported to have been killed during riots in Mozambique's capital, Maputo, over rising food and fuel prices.
But police spokesman Pedro Cossa told the AFP news agency only four people had died, and denied police had fired live rounds at the demonstrators after they blocked roads and threw stones.
The country's Interior Minister, Jose Pacheco, has appealed for calm.
The authorities had earlier warned that demonstrations would not be tolerated.
The violence was the worst in the impoverished African state since 2008.
Mozambique's private S-TV television station and Portugal's Lusa news agency said six people had been killed in Wednesday's riots across the capital and the suburbs.
But the police confirmed only four deaths, and said 142 people had been arrested and 27 wounded, including two police officers.
"The police will continue to patrol the streets," police spokesman Mr Cossa said.
He also denied that police had fired live rounds, saying: "Our officers always use rubber bullets."
Earlier, police told the Reuters news agency that two children had been among the dead, and that live rounds had been used when the police ran out of rubber bullets.
One of those killed was a 12-year-old boy who was shot in the head, according to AFP. Witnesses said he had been walking towards one of the protests when police opened fire.