(JollofNews) – ECOMIG forces have entered The Gambian capital Banjul as part of an elaborate mopping up operation that would pave the way for the return to the country of new President Adama Barrow.
Regional forces made up mainly of Senegalese troops entered the city on Sunday evening with battle tanks as residents cheered from the sidewalks.
Forming long columns, they fanned out to different strategic locations on West Africa’s smallest capital city with some heading for the seat of power at State House.
The latest ECOMIG troop movement in the city is part of an elaborate operation to strengthen security across the country.
Reliable sources told APABanjul on Sunday that ECOMIG forces have been disarming soldiers in the army barracks in the town of Farafenni.
They entered the town early on Sunday morning, occupied the military barracks, ordered Gambian soldiers there to lay down their arms before proceeding to dismantle its defensive fortifications.
Sources in the southern parts of the country also claimed that ECOMIG forces have also entered former President Yahya Jammeh’s home village of Kanilai to take over what’s left of its military installation which reportedly came under heavy shelling from invading Ecowas troops on Thursday.
Some of their troops have been sighted in other parts of the country including the coastal village of Kartong bordering Senegal’s southern region of Casamance.
Others spoke of similar ECOMIG troop movements in the northern town of Esau.
The movement of ECOMIG troops is necessitated to neutralize deployments by a section of the Gambian military on the orders of former President Yahya Jammeh to resist intervention by the regional grouping aimed at forcibly removing him from power after losing last month’s election to opposition rival Adama Barrow.
Jammeh flew into exile late on Saturday, ending a protracted political crisis caused by his dramatic U-turn despite initially conceding the election to Barrow.
The head of the Ecowas Commission, Marcel de Souza said the mopping up operation will clear the way for Barrow’s eventual return to Banjul from Dakar, Senegal where he has been taking temporary refuge since last week as the political crisis came to a head with the deployment of regional troops to oust Jammeh following the expiry of a deadline for him to step down.
According to de Souza the ECOMIG troops are also mandated to search, find and neutralize secret weapons depots Jammeh had built over the years.
“We will look for hidden weapons and mercenaries will be arrested to create a true situation of tranquility, secure the return of populations who fear reprisals and to ensure that the country regain its national unity” he added.
Mai Ahmad Fatty you started your chess game again without even entering the State House nor in the Gambia yet and started pewing unverified statements. Infact where on earth have you ever seen such a governance. The leadership vacuum left by the former President should have been filled by the later instantly even if he cannot reside at the state house but his presence must be felt by the subjects within and not without.
If there is anyone to be blamed will be Senegal’s Annexed Regional Governor Adama Barrow who should have been here immediately Jammeh left but due to his inexperience in leadership he cannot put urgency in filling the leadership vacuum, and worst of all the man steering the Barrow led team Mai Ahmad Fatty who in no undoubted terms wanted to get to the mantle even if he is to swim in Gambians’ blood and walk over their dead bodies. Thanks to Halifa Sallah who is genius in his field worked hard till peace triumph. Mai Fatty Gambians are watching over you. We Gambians will not be fooled twice and yet again be fooled the third time then that will be b*****d
Silly talk. Are u aware Jammeh stole 11million dollars From bank of Gambia. when he was fleeing.The capital need to be secured before he arrives. Some of the Gambia soldeirs cannot be trusted .
Silly talk. Are u aware Jammeh stole 11million dollars From bank of Gambia. when he was fleeing.The capital need to be secured before he arrives. Some of the Gambia soldeirs cannot be trusted .
@ Sanyung. Serrekunde= I absolutely agree with you that Banjul need to be secured before the arrival of the President. Not only that, but they should not live no stone unturned to be sure the whole country is safe, particularly in strategic areas. Currently, we just don’t know what potential security threat is out there.
MA BAH , you should calm down 22 years of yaya jammeh is too messy, jammeh has polluted gambian people so badly, every thing in country has to be sanitized,so that gambia can go back to a decent democracy. Now calm down.
Voting in mass does not always constitute the TRUTH neither reflect the desires of the people.
Voting in mass does not always demonstrate the true values of democracy. It could be misleading and disastrous.
What we are observing these days since 2016 is the truth of these statements.
Voting in mass for the USA president Donald Trump was just a franchise that did not constitute the TRUTH neither reflect the desires of the American people. He is not wanted by his people.
Voting in mass for the UK «Brexit» demand did not constitute the TRUTH for the British people neither did it reflect the desires of the British people. They regret deject the whole episode.
The two voting exercises in The USA and The UK were misleading exercises based on lies, hatred and false allusions.
Voting in mass for the Gambian «Coalition» party to elect Adama Barrow did not constitute the TRUTH for the Gambian people neither did it reflect their democratic desires and aspirations.
It was a Gambian exercise based on cheating, conspiracy, bribery, tribalism and intimidation. Thus Adama Barrow and his «Coalitionn» are not wanted by the Gambian people.
The TRUTH will eventually come to surface when the bitty «Coalition» crumbles into ashes on selfish advocacies of its incongrous figures based on partisan ideologies.
The marionette «President» Barrow will soon learn that leading a diverse citizenry of 1.8 million Mandinkolu, Fulolu, Jolalu, Wollofolu, Akuwolu, Sarahulelu, Manjakolu, Balantolu, Kasinkolu, Manswankolu(my tribe) and all the diverse ethnic groupings is incompatible to his watchman job at the London Argos markets.
The GREAT LEGACIES of President Jammeh will remain till eternity!
Positive opposition to the Adama Barrow «Coalition» has just begun!
Long live President Jammeh, Long live the APRC party, Long live the patriotic conscientious Pan Africanist people of the Gambia.
Down with neocolonists and their henchmen and cronies!
Now it is really the time for you to shut up! Especially at this moment as the political prisoners are freed at last.
Here you go again talking rubbish Babu Soli.