Sierra Leone on Tuesday accused neighbouring Guinea of apprehending several members of its security forces during an encounter in the frontier town of Kaliyereh, escalating a protracted territorial dispute between the two countries.
According to a statement posted on social media by Sierra Leone's information ministry, army and police personnel were engaged in constructing a border post and an additional facility in Kaliyereh on Monday when members of Guinea's armed forces arrived at the site. The statement said Guinean forces detained "several members of the joint security team, including an officer," and also seized arms and ammunition.
The ministry said the government is actively engaging through established diplomatic and security channels to confirm the location of the detained personnel and to secure their safe and unconditional release. It also stated that a team has been dispatched to the area to investigate the incident.
Guinea's government did not immediately respond to a request for comment, the Sierra Leone statement noted.
Background provided in the Sierra Leone statement traces the territorial dispute to the period of Sierra Leone's 1991-2002 civil war, when Guinea deployed troops to assist in fighting rebels. The ministry's account situates Monday's event within that longer-running disagreement over border territory.
The incident has prompted official diplomatic and security engagement, and an investigatory team is on the ground to establish the facts as reported by Sierra Leone's information ministry. Details beyond the ministry's statement were not provided, and there has been no immediate public comment from Guinean authorities, according to the same announcement.
Key points
- Several members of Sierra Leone's joint security team, including an officer, were reportedly detained by Guinean forces in Kaliyereh.
- The Sierra Leone statement says arms and ammunition were seized during the encounter.
- The government has initiated diplomatic and security channels and sent a team to investigate; Guinea had not immediately commented.
Risks and uncertainties
- Unclear status and location of detained personnel - this creates immediate humanitarian and diplomatic risk. Sectors potentially affected include regional security and cross-border trade.
- Escalation of the territorial dispute - the incident could increase tensions along the frontier, with implications for security-related public spending and investor sentiment in the region.
The situation remains fluid. Sierra Leone's public statement is the primary source of the facts reported so far, and confirmation or response from Guinea has not been received as of the ministry's announcement.