The prolonged border conflict between Sierra Leone and Guinea has rekindled after a military incident caused villagers to flee and rekindle diplomatic tensions between two West African neighbors.
On April 28th, Guinea soldiers fired three shots into the air as they tried to enter the village of Sokoma near Yenga.
The shooting caused panic in nearby communities, fled residents south towards the town of Cornes.
“We heard three gunshots,” local resident Daniel Mcundu told RFI. “People were scared and fled towards Koindu. The next day, Guinea’s troops prevented them from returning to Yenga.”
The calm has returned, but local authorities say the ground situation remains unstable.
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Legacy of war
The conflict over Yenga dates back to the 1990s during the Sierra Leone civil war.
At the time, the Freetown government invited Guinea troops to help secure the eastern border. The Guinea army moved to this area, but did not retreat completely after the war ended.
Their continued presence caused repeated standoffs and failed diplomatic efforts.
“Every time we have a dialogue at the highest level, they agree to leave,” said Timothy Caba, foreign minister for Sierra Leone.
“But when the diplomats return to the capital, they will return. But this time they are putting maximum pressure on them. They must understand that Yenga belongs to Sierra Leone and protects the border.”
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Freetown warns that if Guinea’s troops do not withdraw, it could escalate the issue to West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union, or the economic community of the International Court of Justice.
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Impact on local people
The two governments consider the next move, but civilians are left to deal with the consequences. Makundu, who farmed the wetlands near Yenga, said that the loss of access to his land left him nothing.
“I lived from the swamps to the land,” he told RFI. “Now I’ve lost everything. It’s very, very discouraged. I’m calling on the government to resolve this entirely.”
In response to the invasion, Sierra Leone authorities deployed security codes around Sokoma to deliver assistance to the displaced people. However, villagers say that without a permanent agreement, the risk of new conflicts remains high.
