Senegalese President Macky Sall has strongly condemned the protests that rocked the country last week, dubbing them as an attack on the state and its institutions, while highlighting that he is open to consulting with the parties involved.
The country's president made his first remarks on the social unrest speaking during a council of minister’s meeting on Wednesday.
"The president of the republic has strongly condemned these extremely serious attacks against the state, the republic and its institutions," the government said in a statement.
It was noted that the protests included violence, looting and cyber-attacks, which were aimed at sowing terror and bringing the nation "to a standstill."
Sall demanded that the country's government take all necessary action in order to protect the state and people from "repeated attacks, the organizers of which are trying to cause the destruction of the economy." The president announced that he will address the people of Senegal with a message on the situation in the country at the end of this month.
"The president reiterated his openness to dialogue and consultation with all the living forces of the nation in respect of the rule of law and of our common interest to live together in peace, stability and solidarity," read the statement.
Sall also expressed his condolences to the families of the victims, wishing a speedy recovery to the wounded civilians, police officers and gendarmes, while praising "the remarkable professionalism" and the effective actions of the defense and security forces.
Clashes between the security forces and Sonko's supporters erupted on June 1 after he was given a two-year sentence. A Dakar court on Thursday found the opposition leader Sonko guilty of "corrupting young people." The trial was held in absentia, and it was up to the prosecutor to decide whether to arrest the politician.
In three days of unrest that followed the conviction, hundreds were injured and hundreds more arrested. Moreover, the protests spread to Senegalese abroad, forcing the government to close all consulates after a series of attacks performed recently against the nation's diplomatic missions and consulates in several countries. Following the protests, the government announced "immediate judicial inquiries" into the violent unrest in order to "shed light on those responsible".
According to media reports, Sonko remains at home under guard as authorities consider that his transfer to prison could spark a new wave of unrest. The opposition is planning demonstrations in various cities of the country on June 9 and 10 to prevent incumbent President Sall from being a candidate in the presidential elections, scheduled to be held in February 2024. So far, Sall has not announced his intentions for re-election.