The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) will transition from peacekeeping to peace enforcement operations in Bawku and surrounding areas under a directive from President John Mahama.
Captain V.A. Arhin, Acting Director General of Public Relations, announced the move on July 29, citing escalating violence by armed groups causing “reprisal attacks and innocent deaths.”
The new strategy authorizes “robust and purposeful operations” to restore law and order, with GAF pledging to use “all necessary force.” Strict enforcement of the existing 2:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. curfew in Bawku, Binduri, Nalerigu, and Zebilla will accompany the operations. Security forces warned that attacks on personnel would trigger “appropriate response,” urging public cooperation.
This escalation follows months of intermittent clashes between ethnic factions in northern Ghana. Captain Arhin reaffirmed the military’s commitment to its constitutional mandate but emphasized zero tolerance for disruptions. Analysts note the shift reflects growing state concern over the conflict’s destabilizing impact on regional security.
