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Possible vehicle attack following Liberia presidential election leaves 2 dead, 18 injured – JURIST

Two people were killed and at least eighteen others injured in Liberia after a Nissan taxi charged at them in the streets outside the country’s Unity Party headquarters late Monday evening, according to local media. While it is unclear whether or not the attack was intentional or an accident, it has been reported that the driver of the taxi fled the scene initially but an initial arrest has been made of a man named Lawrence K. Williams. The attack occurred during a celebration of Joseph Boakai’s narrow win in Libera’s presidential elections over incumbent George Weah.A day before the deadly incident, the UN Spokesperson for the Secretary-General on Liberia, Stéphane Dujarric, released a statement praising the people of Liberia for the peaceful presidential elections that occurred this month. This latest election is another effort on behalf of the Liberian people to sustain democracy and peace following back-to-back civil wars that raged on in the country from 1989 to 2003. The Economic Community of West African States also issued a congratulatory message before the attack.President George Weah has been praised for his graceful defeat by many, as worries continue that more national strife will come if the elections are contested. His concession has made way for Liberia’s second democratic transfer of power following the removal of UN peacekeepers in the country in 2018. Joseph Boakai’s election signals many signs of a new beginning in a country still haunted by lack of accountability for those who perpetuated war crimes in the last civil war.