Christmas Eve turned bloody near Anwiankwanta in the Ashanti Region when police gunned down three suspected armed robbers in a fierce shootout, foiling what authorities say was a planned highway attack.

The incident occurred in a bush between Anwiankwanta and Jacobu Junction, where a gang of five had reportedly converged to strike on the busy Anwiankwanta-Obuasi road.

According to a police situational report (SITREP), the suspects opened fire on officers upon sighting them. The police returned fire, killing three of the men instantly, while two others fled with suspected gunshot wounds.

The deceased have been identified as Seidu Issah, 29; Musah Yakubu, 35; and Yahaya Munkaila, alias Tijani, 25. They were rushed to the Bekwai Municipal Hospital but were pronounced dead on arrival. Their bodies have since been deposited at the hospital morgue for preservation and autopsy.

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Police retrieved two pump-action guns loaded with six rounds each, an unbranded pistol, a sack containing 25 live cartridges, and six spent cartridges from the scene.

The SITREP noted that Seidu, Tijani, and their accomplices were already on the police wanted list in connection with a string of robberies and killings in Manso, Jacobu, and Anwiankwanta all in Ashanti.

The operation was described as intelligence-led, with four service vehicles deployed to raid the gang's hideout. "Efforts are underway to apprehend the accomplices and retrieve the guns," the report stated.

Police have assured residents of intensified patrols along the Anwiankwanta-Obuasi highway and surrounding communities to curb the rising spate of armed robberies in the area.