More than 1,200 people have been arrested since protests began earlier this week, a government statement said.At least 22 people were killed and 197 others were injured in violence that erupted during protests against a fuel price hike this week, Angola’s government has said.The unrest broke out on Monday when minibus taxi associations launched a three-day strike against a government decision to increase the price of diesel by one-third, part of efforts to curb costly subsidies and shore up public finances.Looting, vandalism and clashes with police started in the capital, Luanda, and then spread to six other provinces.Sporadic gunfire was heard across Luanda and several other cities on Monday and Tuesday as people looted shops and clashed with police.President Joao Lourenco’s cabinet met on Wednesday and received an update on the security situation and police response.A presidency statement said there had been 22 deaths, 197 people injured and 1,214 arrests. Sixty-six shops and 25 vehicles had been vandalised, and some supermarkets and warehouses looted, the statement said.The statement added that the army was deployed to restore order as the riots “triggered a climate of widespread insecurity”.Interior Minister Manuel Homem told reporters that a police officer was among the 22 people killed.The streets of Luanda were tense and largely empty on Wednesday, although there were some queues outside petrol stations and some shops. There was a heavy presence of security forces.Many shops remained closed, but public transport slowly re …
