Grenades, AK 47 rifles seized in Gabon post-election violence

A riot police water cannon is seen spraying supporters of Gabonese opposition leader Jean Ping during clashes in Libreville on August 31, 2016 after Gabon's president Ali Bongo was declared winner of the contested election. (Photo: AFP)

Libreville: Authorities in Gabon have made up to 1,100 arrests over two days of violence that erupted after President Ali Bongo was re-elected in polls that the opposition rejected as fraudulent, the interior minister told a news conference on Thursday.

Pacome Moubelet Boubeya said that between 600 and 800 people were arrested in the capital Libreville, while 200 to 300 arrests were made elsewhere in Gabon. He said that protesters had used grenades and police had seized AK-47 assault rifles.