A Gambian man is among five people killed by a landmine explosion in the Senegalese troubled region of Cassamance.

The victims identified as Assan Badjie, Arona Diame, Yaya Sambou Diame, Ebrima Diame, Ismaila were returning from the Muslim Friday congregational prayers when their horse-drawn vehicle hit an old landmine. 

Babucarr Colley a relative one of the victims said they were returning home from the Jumuah prayer when the landmine exploded.

“Five people were killed and seven in serious condition could not escape from the explosion,” he said.

“We are trying to know the cause but up to now we cannot establish the cause of the incident

“All the five victims died at the spot and we cannot identify their body,” he continued.

According to him, there is a suspicion that the landmine was set as a trap, adding that they cannot ascertain who set this landmine.

He said the explosion happened in a war zone area where the Senegalese soldiers are not far from.

 “Sometime we hear an explosion in the bush. If you go there, you will see a cow and the last explosion we heard a sound. When we went there, we found a dog that stepped on that explosion,” he said.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba