|
Momodou
Denmark
11712 Posts |
 Posted - 28 Apr 2011 : 21:34:14
|
Gun Battle At The Gambia- Cassamance Border
By Abubacarr Saidykhan
28-04-11
Reliable information gathered by Fororyaa from Villagers in Bulubur and Allahkunda in Foni Jarrol District, has it that sporadic gun battle took place near their respective villages on the night of Monday 18 April.
The gun battle is said to have lasted for hours. The villagers appeared panic stricken as a result of the fierce gun battle within Cassamance that was so close to their villages.
According to the resident s of Bulubur and Kanilai, they were woken up by heavy gun fire between the hours of 1am to 2am, which lasted for hours. The villagers said the fighting continued till almost day break. They stated that they had a sleepless night and were scared due to the noise caused by the heavy weapons that were being fired by the warring factions. They indicated that their mud and thatch houses shook almost to the point of collapsing due to the sound of the heavy guns that were fired from different directions.
When asked where the fighting was taking place, they said it was within the Senegalese side of the border. They indicated that they could not verify who and who were involved in the fighting, but assumed that it was the MFDC with Senegalese forces. They said for the past couple of weeks, the MFDC had renewed and step up their activities within the area and were marauding the area with heavy arms and ammunitions.
They stated that personnel of the Gambia Armed Forces that were armed to the teeth were seen patrolling the area in the morning and night of the incident.
They stated that they have noticed an unusual movement of Gambian forces within their area after the Monday night incident with heavy guns. They added that Gambian Armed Forces personnel do patrol the area, but are not usually as armed as nowadays.
The residents of these two villages stated that they did not see any dead body or any wounded fighter within the area, but they were quick to add that the Gambian forces sealed the area off and restrained people from moving to the border area as they used to do before the Monday incident.
The Allahkunda residents, who are a stone throw from the border and less than a kilometer from Kanilai, said at first they thought the fighting was outside their village due to the loud noise caused by heavy explosion. They said they saw bright lightning from the guns that were fired by both sides. They asserted that they heard people giving orders. They said some bullets flew over their houses and landed within the Gambian territory.
A young man said he wanted to go across the border to see for himself who the combatants were, but was afraid to do so due to the indiscriminate nature of the firing. He said he saw bullet shells flying over and they brighten the sky like day light. He said he also saw troops of Gambian forces racing to and from the direction of the fighting to monitor the situation. He stated that the fighting was within Cassamance, but was very close to the Gambian side of the border.
The young man said they believe the fighting was between the Senegalese forces and MFDC. He added that he saw with his own eyes The Gambian forces armed to the teeth patrolling the border area as the battle raged. He noted that the entire villagers could not sleep and some had to abandon their houses to avoid bullets falling on them due to the heavy shells that were being fired, thus shaking their houses. He said many spent the night at the backyards of their houses watching the flying bullets from different directions.
The young men said during day break, Gambian forces were seen patrolling within their immediate surroundings in the Gambia ; adding that they were armed with heavy guns and were restricting the free movement of people within the area. He said at dawn, many were afraid to come out as early as they used to do because of the heavy presence of armed Gambian forces within the area.
However, this reporter endeavoured to cross the border into Casamance, but was advised not to do so by the villagers. He was told that for the past weeks, they saw unusual movements of armed rebels on the side of the Casamance who might be laying in ambush. The reporter while on the ground saw several Gambia soldiers in four wheel drive vehicles patrolling the border area. The immediate residents said they witnessed unusual movements of Gambia forces patrolling their satellite villages after the Monday incident.
When this reporter got in touch with the public relation officer of the Gambia Armed Forces he said he was not aware of the incident and promised to find out. PRO Lieutenant Omar Bojang added that since 2006 they have been patrolling the border to prevent incursion and any utilisation of The Gambia as a base.
Source: Foroyaa
Related Topic:
|
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
|
Topic Locked
