Colonel Musa Trawally, who represented The Gambia government at the Gambia-Senegal border where Salif Sadio, leader of Senegalese separatist Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC), on Monday, released seven Senegalese soldiers serving with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) peacekeeping force deployed in The Gambia emphasized that The Gambia stands neutral in four-year decade conflict.
“The Gambia stands neutral in this ongoing crisis and always remains neutral. We also want to make it clear that we will not allow anybody to use our soil to launch an attack against another person,” he said.
Meanwhile, Claude Kondor, political adviser of Ecowas in Gambia when MDFC leader handed over the corpses promised to free the captured soldiers, adding Salif Sadio said they do not need anything when handing over the captured soldiers.
“This meeting is very important for us and is really a historic moment in our search for security and sustainable development in West Africa,” he said.
Pape Sané, who represented the MFDC leader urged ECOWAS not to engage themselves into unnecessary fighting, adding that ECOWAS mission to Gambia is to ensure peace.
“The ECOMIG in Gambia should know what type of mission is given to them and limit themselves to their mandate. We are releasing the captured soldiers on humanitarian grounds. We do not need money, anything and absolutely nothing. We are just going to hand-over your soldiers for you (ECOWAS) to hand them over to their family members,” he said.
According to him, names of the captured soldiers have been written, adding “before we release them the Sant’Egidio Italian lead meditator, ECOWAS official and Gambia military official all signed formal documents for the release of the said soldier.”
