Gambia's President Adama Barrow urges calm after violent blackout protests - BBC News

The country has faced persistent blackouts since June, with some lasting up to 48 hours, residents say.

Image source, ReutersImage caption, Police used tear gas to disperse hundreds of protesters who took to the streets on Monday over prolonged power cuts

The Gambia's President Adama Barrow has urged citizens to remain calm over prolonged power cuts, saying the country is not alone in facing an electricity crisis that has affected several parts of West Africa.

His comments follow protests on Monday night in the capital Banjul and surrounding areas over blackouts that residents say have sometimes lasted up to 48 hours.

"When you lie down in the heat and the dark, believe that you are not alone in that darkness," Barrow said, pledging to boost power supplies by next month.

The Gambia supplements its own generation with imported electricity, including supplies from Guinea and neighbouring Senegal.