BBC News Online: World: Africa

Guinea clashes: minister appeals for help

The Guinean Security Minister, Sekou Koureissy Conde, has issued a three-day ultimatum to those involved in sectarian violence in the Balizia area to surrender or be hunted down.

The minister was speaking on state radio after visiting the town of Korneseredou, where at least thirty people died in clashes between Muslims and Christians. He called on inhabitants on the Balizia area to help the security forces identify and track down those responsible for the violence. The disturbances began on January-the-third over a land dispute.

Thirty-three people have been detained, but an opposition member of parliament from the region has criticised the arrests as arbitrary.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service