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Gabon Presidential Guard Bombs Opposition Party HQ, Leaves 2 Dead

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Jean Ping, chief rival to Gabonese President Ali Bongo, said the presidential guard bombed his party’s headquarters and killed two people on Thursday, according to a report by BBC Africa. A government spokesman who confirmed the bombing to BBC said that it was done to fish out the protesters who set fire to the parliament. “The presidential guard plus some mercenaries and the police, after 1 a.m., bombed my headquarters,” Mr. Ping said. “They destroyed everything, and we have now two deaths and several people wounded.” Protests erupted in Libreville, the capital city, on Wednesday after Mr. Bongo was declared winner amid accusations of rigging. According to the electoral commission, Mr. Bongo defeated his rival with 49.8 percent of the vote to his rival’s 48.23 percent. Mr. Ping, who had declared himself winner on Sunday, has demanded a recount. “Everybody knows that I won the election,” Mr. Ping told Reuters. “The [Bongo] family are repeating the same scenario for almost half a c