The military’s murderous tactics in defence of the mining giant’s profits caused outrage, with people taking to the streets of Obuasi town in protest and setting fire to several buses.

In a strongly worded statement, signed by Raphael Godlove Ahenu Jr, the CEO of Global Media Foundation, JMAC described the incident as "gross violation of human rights" and accused AngloGold Ashanti and the Ghana Armed Forces of using excessive force.

A miners' association said the victims were unarmed. The army said seven illegal miners were killed in a firefight.

Six of the victims of the January 18 clash between some suspected illegal miners and the military at Obuasi were buried after violence at an AngloGold mining site.

An incident at AngloGold Ashanti's Obuasi mine in Ghana's Ashanti Region has reportedly resulted in the deaths of seven individuals, according to the Ghanaian army. The Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners, however, claims nine unarmed people were killed, reported Reuters.