Tamale (Northern Region) -- The military has stepped up its patrols in Tamale to prevent a spillover of last Saturday's disturbances at Yendi.

The timely intervention of the military in Yendi last Saturday prevented what would have been a bloodbath between the rival Andani and Abudu youths who had started mobilizing for a showdown.

The military had to fire several warning shots to disperse the factions as they prepared to attack each other. One person was injured in the process and four persons, believed to be the ringleaders, were arrested and transferred to Tamale. Well-armed soldiers in vehicles, backed by an armoured car, have been patrolling the streets of Tamale since morning.

The officer commanding the Sixth Battalion in Tamale, Major S.K. Adorkor, told the GNA in Tamale that the essence was to tell the people of Tamale that "we are still around" to maintain the fragile peace in the area since the assassination of the Dagbon king, Ya-Na Yakubu Andani last March.

He warned that the military would deal "ruthlessly and mercilessly" with persons who would attempt to undermine the peace prevailing in the area.