General News of Thursday, 21 March 2013

Source: XYZ

Wounded Obuasi illegal miners escape from hospital

Some illegal miners who were shot in Obuasi on Wednesday during a national security-led operation that destroyed some illegal mining pits have escaped from the hospital where they were being treated.

A joint Military and National Security team stormed the area with bulldozers and other heavy earth moving equipment to seal off all illegal pits.

Scores of the miners poured out on the streets in protest to the closure.

Four of them were shot while several others were arrested by the police.

One of those shot has been transferred to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital for treatment.

The other three, according to the police, have escaped from the Bryant Mission Hospital, where they were being treated.

The police have, at a news briefing on Thursday, assured of calm in the area.

Secretary to the Small Scale Miners Association, Rufus Borry, in an interview with XYZ NEWS said calm has been restored to the town.