CONAKRY, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Four people have been killed and 37 others injured in violent clashes between Koniake and Guerze ethnic communities in Guinea's southeastern town of N'Zerekore, according to its mayor.
The fighting broke out after an attempt by a Koniake youth to steal from a gas station between Sunday night and Monday morning, Mayor of N'Zerekore Mamady Bamy said.
The watchman guarding the gas station from the Guerze ethnic group shot at the suspected thief who died on the spot.
The news spread in N'Zerekore and the Koniake ethnic group mobilized is members to avenge the killing.
Violence erupted between the two ethnic groups, leaving three other people dead and many others injured on both sides.
The tragedy has prompted a curfew in town and neighboring villages to prevent further attacks.
The West African country's security forces have been deployed on the ground to maintain peace and ensure that social order is restored in the region.
The government has also sent a delegation comprising Minister Claude Pivi, who is the coordinator for presidential security, the members of the Koniake and Guerze coordination teams living in the capital Conakry, as well as the director in the prime minister's office, to restore peace among the two groups.
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