By: Christian Conteh
Ballen, Kappa, Foni and its surrounding villages affected by the recent shooting between the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC) and Senegalese soldiers on Gambian soil have expressed that they now experience a sense of safety and reassurance with the coming of Gambian soldiers.
Alkalo of Kappa, Dembo Badjie, National Assembly Member for Kansala, Musa Amul Nyassi and Ballen village chairman, Saikouna Bojang all mentioned that those who reportedly left the villages are returning but not without fears for their safety.
“We were worried since the incident happened, but we now feel reassured by the presence of Gambian soldiers,” Dembo Badjie Alkalo of Kappa said.
“We were extremely scared, we are confident that if the Gambian soldiers were around this wouldn’t have happened,” a resident of Foni said confidently.
They were speaking during Lieutenant Colonel Yerro Jallow’s visit to the border region where the shootout occurred, he was accompanied by senior military officers and other stakeholders.
Gambia Armed Forces Director of Operations told the residents of Ballen village that GAF will take control of the border and continue to defend the country’s territorial integrity.
“We will take control of the Gambia’s borders and continue to defend the territorial integrity of the country at all times. Your safety and the safety of your properties will be guaranteed and we can assure that no individual or group will be allowed to use this country as a safe haven to launch attacks,” Lieutenant Colonel Yerro Jallow said.
He informed the people that President Barrow and the Chief of Defence Staff are very concerned about the incident and will do everything to protect a repetition of the ugly incident.
“We urged all residents and Gambians, in general, to avoid spreading unverified information. My battalion will ensure that the peace and security of the area is guaranteed,” Commander of Kanilai 4 Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Omar Bojang reassured.
Gambians, particularly those in the border regions have over the years continued to call for the withdrawal of foreign troops from their land, insisting that they can only trust Gambian forces for their security.
The ECOWAS contingent is still deployed in The Gambia following the 2016 transition which saw the end of a 22-year hegemony of former dictator Yahya Jammeh.
At a recently held Extraordinary Summit convened by the regional body (ECOWAS) to examine the recent political developments in Burkina Faso, Guinea and Mali to ensure the restoration of constitutional order in these countries, it was decided that military and police components of the ECOWAS Mission in The Gambia (ECOMIG) be maintained to consolidate stability in the country.
