MFDC fighters clash with Senegalese Army in Casamance

14 Mai 2020

Ziguinchor, Senegal, May  14  (Infosplusgabon) -  Violent clashes broke out between the Senegalese Army and combatants of the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (Mouvement des forces democratiques de Casamance) between Tuesday and Wednesday in the Bissine area in Casamance, a stone's throw from the Bissau-Guinean border.

The clashes were allegedly caused by the opening of a forward post by the Senegalese Army in the area. The post would be functional from Monday and its opening provoked disapproval of the separatists, who considered it as a provocation because it is located near one of their bases.

On Tuesday evening, the rebel movement launched an attack on positions of the army which immediately retaliated. This resulted in violent clashes for two days throughout this area, located in a very dense forest.

The clash created a strong psychosis among the populations who quickly believed it was a return from the dark years of the past when clashes between the army and the rebels were common in their area.

The psychosis was all the greater as it occurred during this period of cashew harvesting. A source on the spot indicated that the din of weapons forced the inhabitants around to hide in their homes. For the moment, no assessment is available concerning these clashes.

It is noted that the rebel base in is controlled by a lieutenant called Ibrahima Kompass Diatta, head of the Sikoun faction in the Goudomp area of Middle Casamance.

Kompass was brought to the head of this faction, after the then chief Ousmane Gnantang Diatta, who was very sick, agreed to be treated by the Senegalese government under the reign of President Abdoulaye Wade who had chartered an airplane to take him out of the jungle via Guinea-Bissau. This was seen by the combatants as a betrayal.

FIN/ INFOSPLUSGABON/SDC/GABON2020

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