PRETORIA, July 30. /TASS/. The situation in Angola, which saw protests against gasoline price increases this week, has stabilized, Russian Ambassador to Luanda Vladimir Tararov told TASS.
"Overall, as of July 30, the situation in the country is calm," he said. "The Russian embassy in Angola is operating as usual, with enhanced security measures. There are no Russians among those affected by the unrest. The embassy has not received any requests for assistance," the diplomat emphasized.
The Angolan government held a meeting presided over by President Joao Lourenco to assess the events of the past two days. Interior Minister Manuel Homem announced that 22 people had died, 197 had been injured, and 1,214 had been detained for suspected looting. The riots affected seven of the country's 18 provinces. Supermarkets and wholesale and retail warehouses in eight of the nine districts of Luanda, the capital province, were looted. In Luanda, 66 shops were seriously damaged, as were 25 vehicles.
According to Jornal de Angola, a government meeting concluded that the actions of the defense and security forces were crucial in restoring order and preventing further protests. At the same time, the meeting emphasized that the protests, fueled by infiltrators with criminal intentions, indicate that the situation has escalated beyond simple protests to pose a threat to security and social peace.
Demonstrations demanding lower fuel prices began in Angola on July 12, a few days after the government eliminated subsidies for gasoline and diesel. This led to an almost instantaneous 30% increase in prices. The largest riots took place on July 28, centered in Luanda and its suburbs.