Guinea releases 16 Sierra Leonean soldiers arrested earlier this week
Release of Sierra Leone Security Personnel by Guinea
Release of Sierra Leone Security Personnel by Guinea
On Fri, Sierra Leone announced the release of 16 soldiers and police officers who were detained by Guinean authorities on Tue. According to Sierra Leone's information ministry, all detained security personnel have been safely returned to Sierra Leone.
The Sierra Leonean personnel were involved in the construction of a border post and an additional facility in the frontier town of Kaliyereh when they were apprehended by Guinea's armed forces. Guinea stated that the Sierra Leonean soldiers had entered its territory without authorization, leading to their detention.
Release of Sierra Leone Security Personnel by Guinea On Fri, Sierra Leone announced the release of 16 soldiers and police officers who were detained by Guinean authorities on Tue.
On Thu, Guinea's Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah assured that the situation would be resolved swiftly through diplomatic channels. The two nations share a 700-kilometer border, with territorial disputes tracing back to Sierra Leone's civil war, which concluded in 2002. During the conflict, Guinea had deployed troops to assist in combating rebels.
The recent incident occurred in a region that has been under dispute for over two decades, with Sierra Leone asserting territorial rights while Guinea maintains a military presence. Both nations are members of regional organizations, including the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Mano River Union, which includes Liberia and Ivory Coast.
Based on reporting by Africanews.
