Two illegal miners known popularly as galamseyers were feared dead in a fatal gun battle between members of the anti galamsey security taskforce and some illegal miners at Asamama in the Eastern Region, on Thursday, November 17, 2016
At least four others were said to have sustained varying degrees of injuries with another three in the custody of police.
The taskforce had been tipped off by some residents about the illegal mining activities of the miners.
The residents claimed to have seen huge trailers offloading machines and other illegal mining materials in the town which got the residents suspicious.
No sooner were these machines deployed on the rivers and land areas as the illegal miners destroyed the rivers and cocoa farms in a desperate search for mineral resources.
On Thursday the taskforce decided to swoop in but met a huge resistance from the illegal miners, some of whom were said to have opened fire on the taskforce.
The taskforce returned fire in a feisty gun battle leading to the death of the two miners.
Some of the illegal miners who spoke to the media in midst of the gun battle said mining was their only source of livelihood.
They could not understand why the taskforce will interrupt their work and destroy their machines.
After several minutes of intense gunshot exchanges, the galamsey miners were dispersed but suffered two casualties.
Meanwhile, the miners have vowed to fight back and are threatening some residents in the area who they claim provided information to the police.
Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, following that dispatched military men to the area to provide security.
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