Some 810,000 sheep are sacrificed each year during the traditional Muslim festival which is held in two weeks. But breeders are afraid to transport them to the big cities.
A white tent protects about fifty sheep from the sun at the Soumbédioune market in Dakar. However, they are very few compared to previous years. “Last year, I had more than 150 heads. Due to the recent demonstrations, the breeders are not permitted to come to Dakar this year,” complains Modou Diouf, one of the traders.
Since the clashes between militants and law enforcement on June 1st and 2nd, breeders in Louga, Diourbel, and Thiès are afraid to take their animals to the capital two weeks before Tabaski, the Muslim festival of sheep sacrifice on June 29th. Conflict erupted after Ousmane Sonko was sentenced to two years in prison, who accused the government of conspiring to remove him from the February 2024 presidential election.
In total, 23 people were killed in 48 hours according to Amnesty International and more than 350 were injured according to the Senegalese Red Cross. Shops, gas stations, and supermarkets were looted, causing losses amounting to billions of CFA francs, according to the National Council of Employers.