National Security Council (NSC) members have teamed up with five Foni lawmakers to embark Monday on a day-long tour across villages located along the border with Senegal’s southern region of Casamance.
Speaking to the people of Gifanga, Defence Minister Serign Modou Njie informed the gathering that they have been tasked by President Barrow with the responsability to conduct a fact finding mission across villages that fell victim of the ongoing conflict in Casamance.
A high-powered delegation of the National Security Council (NSC) comprised of the Minister of Interior, Minister of Defence, the National Security Adviser (NSA,), the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), the Inspector General of Police and the Deputy Director General of the State Intelligence Agency (SIS) stormed the area to collect the right information about recurrent attacks by Senegalese army in the region.
Since 2017, villages across the border are being subjected to drone attacks, mortar shells landing near houses, and land mines randomly planted within their vicinity.
Gambia army Chief Momat Cham seized the opportunity to explain that people across the border are inextricably linked, adding that some have their relatives in Casamance while others have their love ones on Gambian soil.
Cham told the villagers that without peace there can be no development in the area and vice versa. He then urged them to do their utmost best to maintain the peace in avoiding to have any ties with the rebels in Casamance.
“Senegal will not accept that we turn the region into a perfect hiding spot for rebels groups,” he voiced out while warning against the dangers to habour Casamance rebels.
The National Security Adviser (NSA), Aboubacarr Jeng, expressed similar sentiments, and made it very clear that Gambia cannot be involved into the rebellion in Southern Senegal.
He further stated that armed conflict often goes with collateral damages, causing casualties in the vulnerable populations (women, elderly people and children).
“Unfortunately, we have noticed that the collateral damages have gone beyond Casamance as shells are being intermittently launched into Gifanga and other villages,” he deplored. “Gambia will remain to be a sovereign State.”
Jeng allayed the fears of villagers in assuring them that diligent measures will be taken by authorities with a view of breaking the cycle of violence affecting villages scattered across the borderline.
