Seven Senegalese soldiers captured by Casamance separatist forces are to be freed on Monday (14 February), Gambiana has learned. 

According to sources the Senegalese prisoners of war are be handed over to Gambian officials. 

The soldiers were captured last month during clashes on The Gambia’s southern border between the rebel forces and a contingent of Senegalese soldiers serving with Ecomig.  

The clashes occurred after a group of timber smugglers were fleeing from the Ecomig forces during a hot chase on the border with Casamance. 

Four Senegalese Ecomig soldiers were killed and seven others captured. 

Separatist leader Salif Sadio paraded the soldiers last week during a press conference with Gambian and Senegalese journalists in his jungle hideout in Casamance. 

He told reporters that he will release the detainees if certain conditions were met but refused to give further details of the conditions. 

Senegalese media have been reporting the imminent release of the detained soldiers.

However, when Gambiana contacted Gambia government spokesman Ebrima Sankareh on Sunday evening, he said “I’m not aware and I don’t know if The Gambia government is aware.”

Ecowas forces in The Gambia (ECOMIG) spokesman could not been reached for comment. 

Reporting by Adama Makasuba