One suspected illegal miner killed, four arrested in armed clash during anti-galamsey raid in Atiwa Forest

One suspected illegal miner has been killed and another injured after an exchange of gunfire with security operatives during an anti-galamsey operation in the Atiwa Forest Reserve in Ghana’s Eastern Region. Four others — three Malian nationals and one Ghanaian — were arrested at the scene.

The incident occurred on Monday, 2 November 2026, as part of Operation GREEN SHIELD, a military-backed campaign led by the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) to flush out illegal miners from the strategically important forest reserve.

According to an operational account, operatives from the Anti-Small-Scale Mining Operations Brigade (ASOB), also referred to in some reports as the Army Special Operations Brigade, advanced approximately 10 kilometres deeper into the forest to a suspected illegal mining site previously identified through drone surveillance. The foot patrol, conducted between 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., encountered about 50 suspected illegal miners actively working at the site.

Upon spotting the security team, some of the miners fled while others opened fire. The operatives returned fire. One suspected miner was killed in the exchange, and another sustained injuries. Security personnel recovered two pump-action guns and six rounds of ammunition at the scene. No casualties were reported among the security operatives.

The injured suspect received first aid from the team before being transported to Kyebi Government Hospital for further treatment. The four arrested individuals have been handed over to NAIMOS for further action.

Background to Operation GREEN SHIELD

Operation GREEN SHIELD was launched in late October 2026 as a sustained, multi-stage intervention targeting illegal mining in the Atiwa (also known as Atewa) Forest Reserve. The operation forms part of NAIMOS’s broader strategy to clear priority forest and watershed areas, prevent illegal miners from returning, and eventually transfer long-term protection responsibilities to the Forestry Commission.

NAIMOS Director of Operations, Colonel Kwame Sam Appiah (also referred to as Col. K.S. Appiah), has described the campaign as following a clear sequence: clearing and disrupting illegal mining activities, holding and stabilising the area through sustained patrols and surveillance, and transitioning routine protection to Forestry Commission guards. The initiative is intelligence-led and involves specially trained military personnel, with plans for a more permanent security presence, including a possible camp within the reserve.

The Atiwa Forest is regarded as a critical watershed that feeds major river systems and supports biodiversity and community livelihoods in the Eastern Region. Illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, has caused extensive environmental damage in the landscape. Community and environmental groups have reported that dozens of streams originating from the forest have been polluted or destroyed, contributing to broader concerns about water quality and forest degradation across Ghana. Authorities have previously noted that 44 of the country’s 288 forest reserves have been affected by illegal mining, with thousands of hectares of forest land degraded.

Wider anti-galamsey context

NAIMOS, established under the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, coordinates intelligence-led joint operations involving the Ghana Armed Forces, police and other agencies. Between mid-June and the end of September 2026, the secretariat reported conducting 738 operational activities covering more than 50,000 kilometres. These efforts resulted in the recovery of dozens of firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition, the seizure of excavators and other equipment, and the destruction of nearly 2,000 changfan (or chanfang) machines and hundreds of makeshift structures used by illegal miners.

Earlier phases of related operations, including Operation Water Shield along rivers such as the Birim and Ankobra, have focused on protecting water bodies and preventing the return of illegal operators. Officials have emphasised that enforcement is being complemented by efforts to target equipment suppliers and facilitators, as well as community engagement in mining-prone areas.

The Atiwa clash underscores the risks faced by both security personnel and those engaged in illegal mining as the government intensifies efforts to reclaim forest reserves and protect water resources. The four suspects remain in the custody of NAIMOS pending further investigation and possible prosecution.