In September, 12 people died in Sweden in incidents of violence involving gangs. This is the highest number of violent deaths ever recorded in the country in a single month.
The Swedish army will provide support to the police to tackle the recent increase in gang killings, according to Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.
He said that starting next week, the army will provide police with situational analysis programs and logistical assistance, as well as explosives management and forensic work.
Kristersson added that “laws need to be updated to allow for greater military involvement in security work.”
In September, 12 people died in Sweden in incidents of violence involving gangs.
According to the newspaper Dagens Nyheter, this is the highest number of violent deaths in a single month since December 2019.
Three people died on Wednesday night alone: two men shot in Stockholm and a woman – with no connection to organized crime, according to the police – died in a bomb explosion in her home, about 80 km north of the capital.
The woman, identified as Soha Saad, was 24 years old and had just graduated as a teacher. Police believe she was a neighbor of the real target of the explosion.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson announced this on Friday after a meeting on the crisis with Swedish army chief Micael Byden, police chief Anders Thornberg and Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer.
He said the government would ask the military to assist the police “in cases where the military’s specialized skills could be useful.”
“This could include anything from assistance with explosives and helicopter logistics, analytical capabilities or forensic technology.”
The prime minister added that current Swedish legislation needs to be changed to address “the gray areas where it is not so clear what kind of threat the country faces”.
Internal disputes
Swedish media have linked the recent increase in deaths to a conflict involving an organization known as Foxtrot Network, which has been embroiled in infighting that has split it into two distinct factions.
Kristersson said on Thursday that Sweden has never seen anything like this and that “no other country in Europe” is going through this kind of situation.
More and more people unrelated to crime and even children have become victims of this violence.
Last year, more than 60 people died in shootings in Sweden, the highest number ever recorded in the country. This index is expected to increase in 2023.
An official government report, published in 2021, found that four people per million inhabitants die every year due to shootings in Sweden, compared to 1.6 per million in the rest of Europe.
Police linked the violence to “poor integration of immigrants, growing inequality between rich and poor and drug use.”
Kristersson’s centre-right minority government, which came to power with the support of the anti-immigrant Sweden Democrats, has failed to quell the violence.
Kristersson promised strengthened policing, tougher penalties for violators of gun laws, tougher deportation powers and stop and search zones, as well as insisting that “everything is on the table”.
Some critics argue that the measures have failed to address underlying social causes of the situation, such as child poverty and under-resourced community services.
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
