A long-running border dispute between Sierra Leone and Guinea has flared again, after a military incident forced villagers to flee and reignited diplomatic tensions between the two West African neighbours.
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On 28 April, Guinean soldiers fired three shots in the air as they attempted to enter the village of Sokoma, near Yenga – a mineral-rich settlement that has been contested for more than two decades.
The gunfire caused panic in nearby communities and sent residents fleeing south towards the town of Koindu.
“We heard three gunshots,” local resident Daniel Makundu told RFI. “People got scared and fled towards Koindu. The next day, the Guinean military prevented any return to Yenga.”
Although calm has returned, local authorities say the situation on the ground remains unstable.
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Legacy of war
The dispute over Yenga dates back to the 1990s, during Sierra Leone’s civil war.
At the time, the government in Freetown invited Guinean troops to help secure the eastern border. Guinean forces moved into the region but did not fully withdraw after the war ended.
Their continued presence has triggered repeated standoffs and failed diplomatic efforts.
“Every time we engage in dialogue at the highest level, they agree to leave,” Sierra Leone’s foreign minister, Timothy Kabba, said.
“But once the diplomats return to their capitals, they come back. But this time, we are [applying] maximum pressure. They must understand that Yenga belongs to Sierra Leone and we will protect our borders.”
Freetown has warned it may escalate the matter to the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), the African Union or the International Court of Justice if Guinean forces do not withdraw.
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Impact on locals
While the two governments consider their next moves, civilians are left to deal with the consequences. Makundu, who used to farm the wetlands near Yenga, said the loss of access to his land has left him with nothing.
“I lived off the land, off my swamps,” he told RFI. “Now I’ve lost everything. It’s very, very discouraging. I call on the government to settle this once and for all.”
In response to the incursion, Sierra Leonean authorities deployed a security cordon around Sokoma and delivered aid to displaced families. But villagers say that without a lasting agreement, the risk of new clashes remains high.
