Kebba Ansu Manneh
The Gambia Armed Forces has dispelled rumours of recent confrontation between Gambian soldiers and their Senegalese counter partners which happened at the boarder in the North Bank Region in the early hours of Tuesday.
Speaking to The Voice newspaper on the recent development, the army spokesman, Lieutenant Malick Sanyang dispelled the rumours saying “there was no confrontation between the two forces as reported.
Clarifying the issues and the misunderstanding which led to confrontation between the two forces, the army spokesman explained: “The Senegalese soldiers acquired permission four days before their arrival, but it was normal for them to be inspected to make sure that what was written in their permit is what they are taking out.
There was no confirmation, our men were just checking to confirm what was written in their permit was that they presented upon their arrival. We already knew that the Senegalese soldiers got their clearance but it is normal for our men to substantiate the documents presented before them.”
According to the army spokesman, there is no cause for alarm or fear as everything is settled noting that it is a normal procedure for physical searches to be conducted, noting that after the confirmation the Gambian Soldiers escorted their Senegalese counterpart to the border to ensure that the Senegalese troops safely leave the Gambian territory.
Many residents who have also spoke to this medium expressed fear regarding the movement of Senegalese troops in the Gambian territory with Armory and tankers heading to the southern Senegalese troubled region of Casamance, which led to the confrontation between the two forces.
This development comes on the heels of the current fighting that broke out between Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC) and the Senegalese army in the southern region of Senegal where the separatists’ rebels have been fighting for independence since 1982.