More than 300 pregnant women and lactating mothers are among refugees and displaced people fleeing clashes between Senegalese troops and MFDC rebels along the Gambia’s southern border with Senegal. 

“Three hundred and seventy-four (374) pregnant and lactating women living the around the Foni borderline are affected by the intensified fight in Casamance,” The Gambia’s National Disaster Management Agency said in a report.

The agency added: “The number of refugees is 691 people who are currently residing in the Gambia to protect and safe their lives from the tense fight which continued in Casamance for 9 days now, without peace in the area since the soldiers invasion began on Sunday.”

“Three thousand six hundred and fifty-six (3656) families are hosting this internally displaced persons and the refugees, 2, 029 (two thousand and twenty-nine) children are under the age of five and currently displaced.

“Seven thousand and forty-four (7044) Gambian students are affected, since most of the schools around the southern borderline continued to be closed due to heavy gun sounds and landing of shells in some of the Gambian villages in Foni,” it stated.

Last week, the Senegalese army announced that it had launched an operation against rebels in Casamance. 

“The main objective is to dismantle the bases” of MFDC separatist leader Salif Sadio, located along the northern border with Gambia, the army said.

MFDC has been fighting for Casamance independence for more than 40 years. 

Reporting by Adama Makasuba