A member of the Forestry Commission’s Rapid Response team is in critical condition after being attacked by armed illegal miners in the Offin Shelterbelt Forest Reserve in the Ashanti Region.
The assailants, armed with assault rifles and machetes, ambushed the officer, inflicting a severe machete wound to his knee, according to reports by JoyNews’ Erastus Asare Donkor.
The attack occurred when the team entered the reserve to halt illegal mining activities. Before advancing, they had captured footage of armed men stationed at the forest’s entrance. However, as they moved deeper into the reserve, some miners who had set up an ambush launched a surprise attack.
The injured officer is currently receiving treatment at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi.
Illegal mining has been a persistent issue in the Offin Shelterbelt Forest Reserve, causing significant environmental damage to the country’s water bodies and forest ecosystems.
Authorities have yet to comment on the incident or confirm any arrests related to the attack.
