Senegalese Troops Claim to Have Lost Way into Gambian Territory

Senegalese troops have claimed that they have lost their way into Southern Gambian territory on Thursday.

About 20 armed personnel of the Senegalese military entered the border community of Sarre Omar in the Lower River Region.

The Gambia Armed Forces has sent its personnel to the community for a fact-finding mission.

“What I can confirm is that we’re also aware of the information but what we did was to instruct the Commanding Officer of the No.2 Infantry Battalion in Farafenni to investigate and get back to us on what’s happening around in Sare Omar,” Major Lamin K. Sanyang tells The Chronicle.

He said a patrol team was immediately sent to Sare Omar.

“I can confirm that the patrol team did go to that particular location in Sare Omar which we understand is a timber landing site in the Lower River Region.

“During the interaction with the community of Sare Omar they (GAF) got information that the Senegalese armed forces were in three pickups and an armoured personnel carrier (APC) with about 20 to 30 personnel who were posted at one guard post at Amdalai across Sare Omar.

Major Sanyang said the Senegalese personnel claimed to the villagers that they were on their routine patrol around the border and they entered Sare Omar.

“Upon questioning by the community that ‘you don’t know that you are in Gambian territory? Senegalese troops responded that they kind of lost their way and so they found themselves at Saree Omar.

“That is when the village youths and some members of the community asked them to leave and the Senegalese forces agreed and left Sare Omar without any incident” he said.

The Gambia and Senegal have signed a hot-pursued agreement in 2017 that allows the military of either country to enter and follow wanted people.

However, Sanyang said this has nothing to do with the hot-pursued agreement that was signed.

“This particular case in Sare Omar has nothing to do with that agreement on hot-pursued agreement.”