Three persons have died following a clash between residents of Manso Tontokrom in the Ashanti region and private security personnel of Asanko Gold Mines Limited.

The incident, which occurred on Saturday March 2, escalated when the security personnel reportedly fired gunshots, resulting in the death of a resident.

According to sources, the deceased was part of other residents who trespassed on the company’s mining site.

But in retaliation, the residents attacked the Asanko Mines security and lynched two of them.

The angry residents also left another security officer severely injured.

Giving more details, a resident said; “We saw two branded Asanko Mines vehicles and four non-branded ones occupied by machomen in the community. Some of the youth went closer to the vehicles to hoot at the occupants and before we realized the machomen had started firing gunshots. One person was hit by a stray bullet and died on the spot.

“We were left with no choice but to also attack them. The vehicles sped off but two machomen fell on the ground. They were lynched”.

The altercation comes on the back of long-standing tensions between Tontokrom residents and Asanko Gold Mines over the latter's concession security measures.

For years, the local youth, driven by rampant unemployment, have turned to illegal mining activities which has had to some fringes on Asanko's legally held lands.

However, allegations of excessive force by military personnel and hired security to repel these incursions have worsen the situation.

Subsequently, the residents on Friday, March 1, 2024, staged a protest to demand the establishment of a Community Mining Scheme to end the banter.

The confrontation on Saturday, however, turned bloody between the residents and the private security personnel of Asanko Mines.

The bodies have since been conveyed by the police and deposited at the morgue.