At least 1500 flee fighting in Senegal

At least 1500 refugees fleeing renewed fighting between government troops and rebels in the southern Senegalese province of Casamance, have crossed into The Gambia since last week, Red Cross officials said. Most of them were women and children, the officials added.

The fighting followed an attack on Wednesday on a convoy carrying supporters of Senegal’s ruling party, the Parti Democratique Senegalais (PDS), who were touring Casamance as part of a political campaign ahead of municipal elections due on 12 May. The government blamed the attack on rebels of the Casamance Democratic Forces Movement (French acronym MFDC).

At least eight PDS supporters were reported to have died in the attack, the government said. It occurred near the villages of Diouloulou and Diana at Casamance province, close to the border with The Gambia.

The head of The Gambia Red Cross, Andrew Jarju, who visited the border areas, said fighting was continuing and the sound of heavy gunfire could be heard several kilometres away. Red Cross volunteers had established an immediate presence and were trying to provide emergency assistance to the refugees.

“The refugees urgently need food, clothing and bedding”, Jarju told IRIN on Monday. “We are appealing for any type of assistance”, he added.

The MFDC has fought for independence for Casamance since 1982. Despite signing several agreements with the government to end the long-running war in the enclave, the fighting has persisted.