'You're not alone in the darkness': Gambia president urges calm after violent blackout protests
The country has faced persistent blackouts since June, with some lasting up to 48 hours, residents say.
Police used tear gas to disperse hundreds of protesters who took to the streets on Monday over prolonged power cuts
The Gambia's President Adama Barrow has urged citizens to remain calm over prolonged power cuts, saying the country is not alone in facing an electricity crisis that has affected several parts of West Africa.
His comments follow protests on Monday night in the capital Banjul and surrounding areas over blackouts that residents say have sometimes lasted up to 48 hours.
The president admitted there had been shortcomings in the government's planning, power generation and maintenance systems, calling the resulting outages "a national security issue" and an "emergency".