1 Dead, 4 Arrested After Armfight During Anti-Galamsey Operation at Atiwa Forest Reserve
- Security operatives encountered roughly 50 suspected illegal miners during a foot patrol deep inside the Atiwa Forest Reserve
- Some miners fled when they spotted the operatives, while others opened fire, triggering a confrontation that left one suspect dead and another wounded
- Four individuals, including three Malian nationals and one Ghanaian, were arrested and handed over to authorities
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A confrontation between security operatives and suspected illegal miners inside the Atiwa Forest Reserve has left one person dead, another hospitalised, and four individuals in custody.
Source: Getty Images
The incident unfolded during Operation GREEN SHIELD, a coordinated anti-galamsey effort led by the Anti-Small-Scale Mining Operations Brigade (ASOB).
Acting on intelligence gathered through drone surveillance, operatives advanced roughly 10 kilometres into the forest to reach a site believed to be actively used for illegal mining.
Armfight breaks out deep in Atiwa Forest
During a foot patrol that ran from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., the team came upon approximately 50 suspected illegal miners at the site.
When the miners became aware of the operatives' presence, some scattered into the surrounding forest.
Others, however, turned and fired on the security personnel, who responded in kind.
One suspected miner died as a result of the exchange of gunfire, while a second sustained injuries.
No members of the security team were reported hurt. The injured suspect received first aid at the scene before being taken to Kyebi Government Hospital for further treatment.
Operatives recovered two pump-action guns and six rounds of ammunition from the location.
Four arrested, including three Malian nationals
The four individuals taken into custody include three Malian nationals and one Ghanaian.
They were subsequently transferred to the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) for further processing and legal action.
The operation marks a significant escalation in Ghana's ongoing efforts to curb galamsey activity in protected forest zones.
The Atiwa Forest Reserve, known for its rich biodiversity, has long been a flashpoint in the country's struggle against illegal mining, which continues to threaten both the environment and community water sources across the country.
Three die in a galamsey pit at Odumase-Santenso
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that three young people have lost their lives after an illegal mining pit collapsed on them at Odumase-Santenso in the Asante Akyem Central Municipality of the Ashanti Region.
The tragedy unfolded at approximately 4:00 p.m. on Friday, August 7, 2026, claiming the lives of two women and one man, all believed to be between 21 and 25 years old.
The Caretaker Assembly Member for the area and Assembly Member for the Bomeriso Electoral Area, Isaac Kyei Andoh, told Accra-based Citi News that residents contacted him shortly after the pit gave way, and he immediately coordinated a rescue response.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
