Separatist engages, kill 4 Senegalese soldiers in border war, take 7 hostages

The Senegalese military late on Monday revealed that separatist rebels during a clash on the border between Senegal and The Gambia killed four Senegalese soldiers and took seven soldiers hostage.

The Senegalese army in a statement late on Monday indicated that 3 soldiers died in the battlefield during the war on January 24 between the Senegalese army and rebels of the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC). The statement indicated that the fourth soldier died from injuries sustained from the war some days later.

The army also disclosed that 7 soldiers were held hostage by the MFDC, noting that all the soldiers are “alive and in good health”.

The statement added that “There are no more missing persons”.

The MFDC was said to be responsible for “a low-intensity breakaway conflict in Senegal’s southern region of Casamance that dates back to 1982,” which has led to the death of several thousands of citizens.