By Amara Thoronka
Separatist rebels in the southern Senegalese region of Casamance have freed seven Senegalese soldiers who were seized after a crossfire battle last month.
On Monday 14 February 2022, the Separatist group, Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC), handed over the ECOMIG soldiers to representatives of the Economic Community of Wes African States (ECOWAS).
The seven soldiers are members of the West Africa Mission in The Gambia (ECOMIG), an ECOWAS security force in The Gambia.
The rebel faction captured the seven soldiers during a clash on 24 January this year, leading to some fatalities and the capturing of some soldiers ECOMIG soldiers.
The army disclosed that the clash occurred during an operation to combat illegal logging on the Gambia-Senegalese border.
The MFDC has been behind the break away conflict in the Senegalese southern region of Casamance since 1982 and has claimed many lives.
