Cape Verde's authorities rule out drug trafficking over Tuesday's killings

Following the killing of eleven people in Cape Verde on Tuesday night, at a telecommunications site at Monte Tchota near the Santiago Island, government officials have called on residents to remain calm.

Security forces have been deployed in the area and the Island’s Minister of Internal Administration, Paulo Rocha, ruled out allegations that the incident was linked to drug trafficking.

“Personal motivations are assumed to be the cause of these events and we are excluding the idea that it is an attack against the State of Cape Verde. The authorities are taking all possible measures to shed light on this case,” he said.

11 people shot dead at military barracks in Cape Verde; airspace and airport closed down pic.twitter.com/L0tCGdOZo0

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Nine rifles were taken taken but later recovered and authorities suspect a military officer to be behind the killings but so far his whereabouts remain unknown.

The country’s battle against gangs smuggling Latin American cocaine to Europe has led to a series of reprisal shootings.

Reuters