Police in the Eastern Region have killed two illegal small-scale miners and injured 10 more in Asamama following a gun battle between them and the galamseyers on Thursday.

More than 20 of the galamseyers were subsequently arrested by the police after the crossfire, which started as law officers who are part of the anti-galamsey taskforce got intelligence of illegal mining activities taking place at Asamama.

The police was tipped off by residents after huge earthmoving vehicles and excavators surged into the area.

The heavy machines destroyed swathes of cocoa farms and traversed rivers en route to their destination.

As the taskforce swooped in on the illegal miners, they were met with brute gunfire by the galamseyers.

Chief of Staff Julius Debrah has ordered the military to reinforce security in the area.