Salif Sadio, the leader of Casamance separatists movement, has asked the Gambia government to stay out of the Senegal-Casamance conflicts.

Mr Sadio’s warning comes after a deadly shootout between the rebel group and a contingent of Senegalese soldiers 

serving with the Ecowas mission in The Gambia, ECOMIG. 

Speaking to reporters in an undisclosed location in Casamance, the veteran fighter warned:”What happened I will tell you this will be last of it kind. If it happen again, the whole world will hear about it. 

“I don’t mind your uniform men, they don’t bother me because fighting is my profession. 

“I have mercy in this incident because The Gambia and Casamance are family. But if it occurs again, I’ll kill like never before. I’ll kill even my family members.”

He continued: “Let me say this, you the captain go and tell your people that they are lying. They’re part of the war but if it happens again that will be the time you will know who is Salif Sadio, so go and tell your entire government.”

According to him, he didn’t order his men to chase back the Senegalese soldiers into The Gambia because he doesn’t want innocent lives of Gambians to be lost.

Mr Sadio replaced Diamakung Senghore who started the separatist rebellion.

The group has been fighting for more than 40 years for an independent state from Senegal.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba 

Casamance is a southern region of Senegal trying to breakaway and the rebels of region have been fighting for their independent for more than forty years.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba