The minister of Information and Communication Ebrima Sillah has defended the deployment of Senegalese soldiers serving with the ECOMIG forces in Foni.

Mr Sillah was responding to criticism of the deployment after recent border clashes between the Senegalese soldiers and separatist rebels from Casamance. 

Dozens of border villagers fled the area following the deadly clashes that left four Senegalese soldiers dead and seven others captured by the separatist rebels. 

“There is no Senegalese soldier in The Gambia that’s not under the ECOMIG command. 

“Whatever the private arrangement was for two years probably I was not in cabinet and I wouldn’t know,” Information minister Ebrima Sillah said.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba