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The Gambia has condemned what it described as a border incursion by the Senegalese Armed Forces, accusing them of demolishing part of the perimeter fence at one of its military posts along a disputed section of the two countries’ border.
In a statement on Friday, the Gambian government expressed “deep concern over the unfortunate incident,” describing the action as “profoundly provocative” while reaffirming its commitment to resolving the dispute through diplomatic channels.
According to the Gambian government, the incident occurred on Thursday at the Bulock Military Border Post in the country’s West Coast Region, where part of the fence was allegedly “demolished without prior consultation.”
The Gambia, a narrow country that follows the course of the Gambia River and is almost entirely surrounded by Senegal except for its Atlantic coastline, said the military post is located in a contested border area.
“While The Gambia considers this action profoundly provocative and totally unacceptable, the government remains fully committed to resolving the matter peacefully through dialogue and other diplomatic channels,” the government spokesman said.
The government also urged the Senegalese Armed Forces “to exercise maximum restraint and to ensure that any future concerns relating to the common border are addressed exclusively through the established bilateral mechanisms.”
Senegal acknowledged the incident but offered a different perspective.
In a statement issued on Friday evening, Senegal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs referred to “encroachments affecting Senegal’s territorial integrity.”
“The area in question has, for several years, been the subject of discussions between the competent authorities of the two countries,” the ministry said.
The latest exchange reveals longstanding sensitivities over sections of the Senegal-Gambia border, where the two neighbouring countries have periodically held bilateral talks to address unresolved boundary issues and prevent tensions from escalating.
