Guinea Confirms Detention of 16 Sierra Leone Soldiers in Border Dispute

By Staff, Agencies

Guinea’s military has confirmed the detention of 16 soldiers from neighboring Sierra Leone, the Guinean Ministry of National Defense reported on Wednesday, alleging they crossed into Guinean territory without authorization.

According to the ministry, the troops “set up a tent and raised their national flag” in the Koudaya area of the Faranah border region.

Their equipment and supplies were seized, and an investigation was opened by the Ministry of National Defense.

Sierra Leone’s government offered a different account, stating that its security personnel were engaged in construction work on Monday in land it considers sovereign Sierra Leonean territory when Guinean forces detained them and confiscated their weapons and ammunition.

“At the time of the incident, Sierra Leone’s security personnel were engaged in making bricks for the construction of a border post and accommodation facility intended to support security operations in the area.

The Sierra Leone national flag had been hoisted within territory recognized as belonging to Sierra Leone,” Sierra Leone’s Information Ministry said on Tuesday.

The border dispute between Guinea and Sierra Leone dates back to the Sierra Leone Civil War, which lasted from 1991 to 2002.

During the conflict, Guinea deployed troops to assist Sierra Leone but did not fully withdraw afterward, contributing to ongoing disagreements over territory, including the diamond-rich Yenga region.

Tensions have resurfaced periodically in recent years, with both sides accusing each other of illegal military incursions and disputing the precise demarcation of the frontier.