![[Senegal] The association of landmine’ victims, based in Ziguinchor, the regional capital of Casamance, southern Senegal, stands up for the rights of the 700 victims of landmines, used during the on-going conflict between the government and the 24-year](https://assets.thenewhumanitarian.org/s3fs-public/styles/responsive_large_2x/public/images/20068314.jpg.webp?itok=Hss8MmWI "Up to 80 percent of arable land in Casamance is mined")
A foreign national working for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has been killed in a suspected vehicle explosion in the restive Senegalese province of Casamance.
The incident happened on Friday afternoon in Tandine, a village around 100 km north of the regional capital Ziguinchor, aid workers in Ziguinchor told IRIN. Three other ICRC staff travelling in the car were not injured.
Marco Jiminez, ICRC spokesperson in Geneva, said the identity or mission of the staff concerned was unknown.
“There has been an accident but the information at the moment is confusing. We do know something happened with a car around Ziguinchor. We presume it hit a mine but are not sure.”
Years of fighting between two rebel factions, and with the armies of Senegal and Guinea-Bissau, have left the region littered with mines, and heavy rains could have displaced explosive devices.
But United Nations staff contacted in Ziguinchor said Tandine was not previously known as being mined.
Although a peace accord was signed between the Senegalese government and Casamance rebels last year, a hardline faction has continued to fight.
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The incident happened on Friday afternoon in Tandine, a village around 100 km north of the regional capital Ziguinchor, aid workers in Ziguinchor told IRIN. Three other ICRC staff travelling in the car were not injured.
Marco Jiminez, ICRC spokesperson in Geneva, said the identity or mission of the staff concerned was unknown.
“There has been an accident but the information at the moment is confusing. We do know something happened with a car around Ziguinchor. We presume it hit a mine but are not sure.”
Years of fighting between two rebel factions, and with the armies of Senegal and Guinea-Bissau, have left the region littered with mines, and heavy rains could have displaced explosive devices.
But United Nations staff contacted in Ziguinchor said Tandine was not previously known as being mined.
Although a peace accord was signed between the Senegalese government and Casamance rebels last year, a hardline faction has continued to fight.
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This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
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