Hollande condemns post-election violence in Gabon

French President Francois Hollande on Thursday condemned the post-election violence and looting in Gabon and called for calm on all sides.

Hollande said he was “deeply concerned” by the situation in the former French colony where violence flared following Wednesday’s announcement that President Ali Bongo had been re-elected by a wafer-thin margin.

Hollande said in a statement he “strongly condemns the violence and looting as well as the threats and attacks against supporters of the main candidates”.

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Gabon’s opposition leader said security forces killed two people and hurt 19 in a raid against his headquarters Thursday.

Hollande called for “restraint and calm on all sides” and urged the Gabonese authorities to put in place “a process guaranteeing transparency of the election results”.

Around 450 French soldiers are based in Gabon and approximately 10,000 French citizens live in the west African country.