Four individuals have been apprehended in Atwima Nerebehi amid clashes between suspected illegal miners and local residents, escalating tension in the Ashanti Region.

The confrontation ignited when enraged youths sought to expel the illegal miners from their operation site situated within the community's cemetery.

Responding to the incursion, armed illegal miners retaliated early Monday, firing indiscriminately and torching a vehicle belonging to a local youth.

Police intervened to quell the unrest, resulting in the arrest of at least four individuals linked to the initial attack, which saw mining equipment and gold pellets looted.

The community advocates for increased police presence to prevent further disturbances.

"Presently, there's palpable tension," expressed an anonymous opinion leader to Asaase News. "The cemetery has been besieged by illegal miners, posing grave health risks to the entire Nerebehi township."

"Repeated outbreaks of diseases highlight the overwhelming challenge faced by traditional authorities. We implore authorities to bolster security in the area due to the prevailing tension," the opinion leader cautioned.