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A newly surfaced video circulating online shows detained Sierra Leonean security personnel seated on the ground surrounded by heavily armed Guinean military officers, providing the first visual evidence of a tense border dispute between the two West African nations.
In the footage, which emerged on Tuesday, the captured officers appear unharmed in a relatively calm and non-chaotic setting, with several civilians observing the scene.
The circulation of the video prompted official confirmation of the incident from military authorities. On Tuesday, February 24, Air Commander Hassan Sei Coomber, Defence Spokesman for the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF), confirmed the arrests during an interview on Radio Democracy, acknowledging that the personnel were taken into custody following a standoff with Guinean forces on Monday.
The confrontation occurred in the early hours of Monday, February 23, at Kaliyereh (also known as Kailayah) Village in the Sulima Chiefdom, Falaba District—a historically porous and disputed border region.
According to local reports, the incident began when Sierra Leonean forces attempted to mount a security checkpoint in the village. Guinean troops intervened, claiming the territory belongs to Guinea. The Guinean forces reportedly demanded that the Sierra Leonean military provide GPS coordinates to prove the land’s ownership before they would allow a checkpoint to be established.
When the Sierra Leonean personnel insisted on their right to secure the area and proceeded to mount the checkpoint, they were apprehended by the Guinean forces.
Sources indicate that a total of 13 Sierra Leonean security personnel were detained during the encounter. The group reportedly includes an RSLAF captain, 10 other military personnel, and two officers from the police Operations Support Division (OSD).
The detainees have reportedly been transported to the Guinean capital, Conakry. Authorities in Freetown have not yet detailed what diplomatic or military negotiations are currently underway to secure the release of the captured officers.
This is an insult to our Sierra Leone soldiers, RSLAR and the nation. Our country is no longer safe, because those who we are expected to secure the life and property of this beloved nation has been captured by an order Securities that came all the way from an other man’s country. Such a shame to the commander -in-chief
What is really going on in Sierra Leone? This is very pathetic.
This is the highest form of disrespect to our security forces portrayed by the Guinean military officers.
After illegally abducting our security personnel, they took them to their camp and ordered them to sit on the floor. This is unacceptable and very disregarding.
What a big shot on our face. Anyway let’s still choose diplomacy until we are left with no peace. Choosing diplomacy that doesn’t result to peace is no sense at all. over the years this people have been discarding us in every way possible. I believe in the lion himself, the blood of young African boils. If we choose diplomacy let’s military action be implemented as well because those aunts thinks they are bigger than us. They might have weapons but we have skills they might wage violence but we will give them sense. Sierra Leone is all we have can’t afford to miss this country.😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
Hahaha….Salone soja/police’s attempt to set up “check-point” in order to “collect” was thwarted. Soja meet soja…not unarmed and helpless civilians.