A soldier from Senegal was killed and six others injured in the Casamance area during an operation targeting cannabis plantations near The Gambia, the military reported on Thursday.
According to a statement from the armed forces, troops “engaged a group of armed individuals in the Kadialock area.”
The incident took place on Wednesday, with preliminary reports confirming one soldier killed and six others wounded. The statement added that several of the attackers were also killed during the confrontation.
The military indicated that operations are ongoing to “eradicate cannabis cultivation, pursue all armed groups, and protect local communities and their property.”
Casamance the southernmost part of Senegal, is nearly separated from the rest of the nation by The Gambia. The region has its own unique culture and language, a legacy of its history as a former Portuguese colony.
Authorities accuse local separatists of involvement in illegal cannabis and timber trafficking and say they often seek refuge across the borders in The Gambia or Guinea-Bissau.
Casamance has experienced one of Africa’s longest-running conflicts, dating back to December 1982 when armed separatists retreated into the bush following widespread protests.
The conflict has claimed thousands of lives and severely affected the local economy, although violence has decreased considerably in recent years.
In February, separatist groups and Senegalese authorities signed a peace accord after holding their first public talks since the new government took office last March.