Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – Major General Ousman Gomez, Deputy Chief of Defense of the Gambia Armed Forces, has emphasized the Gambia military’s neutrality in the conflict between the Senegalese Armed Forces and the Casamance rebels of the Mouvement des Forces Démocratiques de Casamance (MFDC).

Speaking at the end of the Senegal-Gambia Joint Military Committee meeting, aimed at bolstering military cooperation between the two nations, Major General Gomez clarified the Gambia’s stance on the conflict and underscored the importance of border security.

Addressing journalists’ concerns about the Casamance conflict’s frequent spillover into Gambian territory, notably in the Foni region, Major General Gomez stated, “We are not participating in any rebellion or fighting rebellion with Senegal or whatsoever. Senegal are having their problem. Our patrol doesn’t mean that we are dragging into fighting their war. We are not fighting any war.”

He further explained that the primary duty of the Gambia Armed Forces is to secure the nation’s territory and borders, stressing, “We are just patrolling our border, and we will patrol our border, and no one can stop us from patrolling our border. If villages around that area are affected and we are not patrolling those areas, are we fair to the community of that area? If we do not have border security, that means we may not be doing our right responsibility as the military armed forces responsible to secure our territorial integrity.”

Major General Fulgence Ndour, Deputy Chief of Defense Staff of the Senegalese Armed Forces, expressed appreciation for the commitment of the Gambian military to collaborate in promoting peace and security in both countries. He remarked, “When we talk about border issues, we will discuss everything, especially issues that can cause unrest to people living at the borders and those crossing the borders to go about their businesses without any problems. Drug traffickers and criminals entering both countries to hide after committing crimes are all security concerns. We need to address them as they are security concerns.”

One critical issue raised during the press conference was the demarcation of the border between Senegal and southern Gambia. Major General Gomez highlighted the need for clear border definitions, noting, “Sometimes our borders are not marked, and this is what the border commission is working on so that to clearly show us this clear cut of where the Gambia ends and where the Senegalese ends. By having proper border control, we can prevent illegal immigration, smuggling of goods and weapons, and other criminal activities. It also allows us to regulate trade and maintain diplomatic relationships.”

The next joint military committee meeting is scheduled for December this year, where the implementation of agreements to enhance peace and security along the Gambia-Senegal borders will be evaluated.