Guinean military forces cause commotion in a revived dispute along the border with Sierra Leone
In the small West African village of Sokoma, nestled near Yenga — a mineral-rich region long embroiled in a bitter dispute — soldiers fired off three warning shots on April 28th. The sudden, sharp burst of gunfire sent the local population fleeing towards Koindu, panic-stricken.
"Three gunshots," local resident Daniel Makundu echoed, speaking to our platform. "Fear gripped everyone, and they ran south towards Koindu. The following day, the Guinean military prevented any return to Yenga."
Although a semblance of calm has returned, regional authorities maintain that the situation on the ground remains volatile.
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The dispute over Yenga stretches back to the 1990s, during Sierra Leone's brutal civil war. At the time, Freetown, the capital, invited Guinean troops to bolster its eastern border. However, Guinean forces never fully retreated once the war ended, leading to repeated standoffs and failed diplomatic initiatives.
"During our highest-level negotiations, they agree to depart," Sierra Leone's foreign minister, Timothy Kabba, asserted. "But the instant diplomats return to their capitals, they resurface. This time, though, we're employing maximum pressure. They must grasp that Yenga belongs to Sierra Leone, and we will safeguard our borders."
Freetown has threatened to escalate the matter to regional bodies like the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), the African Union, or even the International Court of Justice if Guinean forces refuse to withdraw.
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While political leaders from both countries strategize, civilians such as Makundu must cope with the ongoing fallout. The former farmer of the Yenga wetlands laments the loss of his land, claiming it has left him with nothing. "I lived off the land, off my swamps," Makundu shared emotionally. "Now I've lost everything. It's extremely discouraging. I implore the government to solve this once and for all."
Following the Guinean incursion, Sierra Leonean authorities fortified a security perimeter around Sokoma and provided aid to displaced families. Yet, villagers express concerns that without a lasting resolution, the risk of renewed conflict remains high.
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- The ongoing dispute over Yenga, rooted in West Africa's Sierra Leone, has been a topic of intense international diplomacy due to its involvement in war-and-conflicts and politics.
- The African Union, Ecowas, and even the International Court of Justice could potentially be involved if Guinean forces continue to occupy Yenga, a region that Sierra Leone holds as its own territory.
- Amidst the political turmoil, general-news reports from the ground reveal deep concern among local residents, like Daniel Makundu, who have suffered loss and displacement, and yearn for justice and a lasting resolution to the conflict.
