Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – The Gambia’s most notorious fugitive, Lt. Col. Sanna Manjang, one of the most feared members of Yahya Jammeh’s Junglers, was arrested early Saturday in a joint Senegal-Gambia security operation in the Casamance region. His capture comes under circumstances that have raised intense public curiosity, coinciding strikingly with Yahya Jammeh’s abrupt cancellation of his long-publicized November homecoming.
Government officials confirmed that Manjang was seized during a coordinated raid deep inside the forests of Casamance, where he and several former Jungler operatives were allegedly hiding and conducting business with Casamance rebels of the Mouvement des Forces Démocratiques de Casamance (MFDC).
According to cross-verified intelligence from senior security officials in both The Gambia and Senegal, some of the individuals arrested alongside Manjang were in fact Casamance MFDC combatants belonging to the Salif Sadio faction, a development that significantly widens the security implications of the operation.
Intelligence, reportedly tipped off to the Senegalese forces, suggested the group was preparing subversivee cross-border operations, including in The Gambia.
The collaboration with the Gambian military triggered a rapid joint intervention that ended in the capture of Manjang and several others inside rebel-controlled territory.
Who Is Sanna Manjang?
Sanna Manjang is one of the most infamous Junglers of the Jammeh era, widely regarded as the regime’s most feared enforcer.
He has been implicated in some of the worst atrocities committed between 1994 and 2016, including the murder of journalist Deyda Hydara; the massacre of 59 West African migrants; the killing of Yahya Jammeh’s own relatives, Kajali Jammeh and Haruna Jammeh; the killing of Yama Colley, Daba Marena, Mahawa Cham, Saul Ndow, Ndure Cham, Dawda Nyassi, and others; the arson attack on The Independent newspaper; widespread torture operations under the Junglers; and the forced disappearance of two Gambian-American citizens, for which he is wanted by Interpol.
Witnesses before the TRRC described Sanna Manjang as one of the regime’s most ruthless operatives, often leading or personally participating in kill missions.
Arrest in Casamance: Weapons, Rebel Links, and an Alleged Plot
According to security sources, Manjang and others were actively collaborating with MFDC rebels in the Casamance forests and had allegedly acquired weapons.
The clandestine spot, located deep inside MFDC-controlled territory, was also believed to be a place for contraband, cannabis farming, and other activities like charcoal burning.
According to unverified claims, a group of rebels may have betrayed Sanna by alerting Senegalese forces to his position. The combined military forces that invaded the camp caught him by surprise, and no one was injured.
Both Gambian and Senegalese intelligence later confirmed that some of the men arrested were active MFDC fighters aligned with the faction of Salif Sadio, one of the most powerful rebel commanders in Casamance.
This connection suggests a more complex collaboration between former Jungler operatives and elements of the separatist movement.
Security forces in Banjul have since deployed a full-scale operation to deter any retaliatory actions and ensure rapid response to emerging threats.
A Sudden Coincidence: Jammeh Cancels His Announced Return
Manjang’s arrest comes less than 24 hours after the APRC-Babili Mansa faction issued a surprise announcement postponing Yahya Jammeh’s long-anticipated return, which had been scheduled for November.
In the statement, the party cited “unfinished logistics arrangements,” assuring supporters that Jammeh’s return remained “imminent.” The timing, on the same day that one of his closest and most feared operatives was intercepted, allegedly coordinating with MFDC rebels, has raised widespread speculation.
Though no official link has been made, the coincidence has heightened questions about whether security developments in Casamance directly influenced Jammeh’s decision to delay his return.
Government: Justice Will Prevail
The Gambia government described the arrest as “a significant step toward justice and accountability,” reaffirming its commitment to ensuring that victims of Jammeh-era abuses see due process.
Arrangements are now being made to repatriate Manjang to Banjul, where he will be processed in accordance with the law.
As the country awaits further updates, the capture of Sanna Manjang, now confirmed to have been operating alongside rebel combatants, marks one of the most consequential security interceptions since Jammeh’s fall, with potentially far-reaching political and regional implications.
