Gambiaj.com – (DAKAR, Senegal) – A Senegalese soldier who disappeared during an armed ambush in the troubled Casamance region in April 2025 has been released after months of mediation, the Senegalese Armed Forces announced on Tuesday. The soldier was handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on November 11, 2025, and has since been transported to Dakar. Military officials confirmed that he is in good health.
The soldier was captured on the night of April 13 during an operation in Djignaki, in the district of Bignona, an area that has long been affected by separatist unrest and criminal activity.
The ambush, targeting a military patrol tasked with combating armed robbery and smuggling networks, left one soldier wounded while the captured serviceman remained unaccounted for, sparking widespread concern within military and civilian communities.
Identified by credible sources as a member of a medical support unit, the soldier had been deployed to Casamance from Saint-Louis in northern Senegal.
Though his duties were non-combat, his unit was operating in a zone where armed groups and separatist networks have historically challenged state authority.
Intelligence reports following his disappearance suggested that his last known mobile phone signal was traced near the Gambian border, raising additional cross-border security concerns.
Throughout the soldier’s disappearance, the military provided only limited public information. No group publicly claimed responsibility, and there were no confirmed ransom demands or political conditions linked to his captivity.
The lack of updates had fueled anxiety among families of servicemen and led to calls for greater transparency in ongoing operations in the region.
In its statement announcing the soldier’s recovery, the Armed Forces expressed appreciation for the mediation efforts that contributed to his release. However, the military emphasized that operations to secure communities in Military Zone No. 5 would continue.
“While welcoming the numerous initiatives aimed at consolidating ongoing peace efforts, the Armed Forces remain committed to continuing operations to secure people and their property in the area,” the statement read.
Casamance has endured more than four decades of intermittent conflict driven by separatist aspirations of the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC). Although large-scale clashes have declined in recent years, renewed activity by armed groups and trafficking networks has kept the region volatile.
For many in Senegal, the soldier’s safe return offers relief but also underscores the fragile security situation in the south.
His months-long captivity has highlighted the persistent risks facing military personnel deployed in the region and the delicate balance between negotiation, humanitarian mediation, and continued military presence.
Further details regarding the circumstances of his release have not been disclosed. The Armed Forces have not confirmed whether the soldier’s captors were affiliated with separatist elements or criminal groups.
