Ghana deploys troops to Burkina border after students killing

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Ghana has deployed soldiers to the conflict-ridden town of Bawku, near the border with Burkina Faso, following the reported killing of three students by gunmen at the weekend.

Saturday's shooting has sparked fresh fears about escalating violence in the northern town, which has long been gripped by a protracted chieftaincy dispute and faces concerns of a spillover from the Sahel region's jihadist conflicts.

"The Government of Ghana is stepping up its approach from peacekeeping to peace enforcement in Bawku and other affected areas due to the recent escalation of violence, which could derail the peacebuilding process," Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Ghana's communications Minister and presidential spokesman, said in a statement on Sunday.

The statement follows reports that three students were killed in what residents have described as a deliberate ambush near a school.

Officials have confirmed an ongoing operation to secure educational institutions in the area, with a 2 pm to 6 am curfew (1400 to 0600 GMT) imposed in the town and surrounding areas to facilitate the evacuation of students.

"We assure the public that the Ghana Armed Forces will take all necessary measures to protect lives and property," Ofosu said.

He added that the authorities "urge all parties to refrain from violence and support the peace process".

The Bawku crisis stems from a decades-long dispute over which ethnic group has the right to occupy the Bawku chieftaincy seat, a conflict primarily involving the Mamprusi and Kusasi peoples.

In 2023, Ghana sent 1,000 more troops and police to Bawku to reinforce security after gunmen killed an immigration officer and wounded two others near the border with Burkina Faso.

Bawku lies close to the border with Burkina Faso, where Islamist militants have displaced millions of people and led to numerous cross-border security concerns for Ghana.

In recent months, Ghana's army has stepped up patrols along the northern frontier to stave off potential spillovers from the Sahel's various conflicts.