The toll is rising for the Senegalese army in Casamance. On Tuesday morning, March 17, three soldiers were killed and three others wounded during an operation to dismantle cannabis plantations in the department of Bignona, near the border with Gambia.

An accident amid armed tensions

Although the official statement from the Directorate of Information and Public Relations of the Armed Forces (DIRPA) remains cautious, the first reports indicate a tragic technical incident: the explosion of an overheated mortar .

However, the use of such artillery underscores the intensity of the mission. According to experts in the region, the army systematically conducts preemptive strikes to secure cultivated areas before the intervention of demolition teams, indicating the presence of hostile groups in the field.

A large-scale offensive

For more than ten days, the army has been conducting an intensive manhunt in the North Sindian sector (particularly in Djiakine, Ifanga, and Kadialock). The objectives are twofold:

1. Destroy the Indian hemp crops that finance regional instability.
2. Neutralize the armed groups that exploit these lands.

Did you know? This area is the scene of recurring clashes. On March 11, another soldier was killed in a direct confrontation with armed individuals.

Trafficking and rebellion

Although the army officially targets "criminal groups," the link to the long-standing conflict in Casamance remains implicit. The illicit cannabis trade and timber trafficking are the main sources of income for the remaining factions of the MFDC (Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance), who exploit the porous Gambian border to maintain their operations.