The Senegalese army announced on Sunday night that it had launched an operation against rebels in Casamance, the scene of an old conflict in the south of the country.
This offensive is launched less than two months after the death of four Senegalese soldiers and the capture of seven others by the rebels in the border area with Gambia. The seven soldiers, members of the West African military mission in the Gambia (Ecomig), have since been released.
“As part of their regalian missions of securing people and property, the armies launched an operation on Sunday, March 13, 2022, whose main objective is to dismantle the bases of the MFDC (Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance) faction of Salif Sadio located along the northern border” with Gambia, the Senegalese general staff said in a statement.
“This operation also aims to destroy all armed gangs conducting criminal activities in the area,” it said.