Ghana’s military has launched an urgent manhunt following a deadly हमला on a convoy escorting civilians along a volatile highway in the country’s northeast, underscoring the fragility of security in a region long plagued by communal tensions.

The armed forces confirmed that gunmen ambushed a military convoy protecting around 140 civilians travelling between Bawku and Bolga, two key towns in the troubled area. The attack, which occurred near Binduri, resulted in a fierce exchange of gunfire that left seven of the assailants and three civilians dead. Authorities say at least ten suspects have since been detained as investigations intensify.

The violence is rooted in a decades-old chieftaincy dispute between the Kusasi and Mamprusi ethnic groups, both of whom claim the powerful traditional leadership of Bawku. The unresolved rivalry has periodically erupted into clashes, destabilising communities and drawing in security forces.

In response to rising insecurity, the government last year reinforced troop deployments in the region after a series of attacks, including assaults on schools. Mediation efforts led by Otumfuo Osei Tutu II have sought to ease tensions, though a lasting resolution remains elusive.

Authorities have also imposed curfews and stepped up joint military and police patrols, while armed escorts have become a necessity for civilians navigating the high-risk corridor.

Compounding the challenge, troops stationed in the north are simultaneously tasked with safeguarding Ghana’s border with Burkina Faso, where Islamist militant groups operate and are believed to occasionally infiltrate across the frontier.

Military officials said a G3 automatic rifle, along with loaded magazines and ammunition, was recovered from one of the attackers who reportedly sought refuge in a mosque after the ambush. Security operations are ongoing to locate additional suspects believed to be linked to the нападение.

The roots of the conflict trace back to a shift in the chieftaincy arrangement: while leadership once rotated between the Kusasi and Mamprusi, a ruling by the Supreme Court of Ghana in favour of the Kusasi claim several years ago deepened divisions and continues to fuel resentment today.