Gambian Army chief says his troops will surrender to ECOWAS forces
- Gambia’s army chief, Ousman Badjie, said he would not order his men to fight other Africans
- Badjie says the impasse in the country is a political affair
- ECOWAS troops are in nearby Senegal awaiting orders to advance into The Gambia
Gambia’s
army chief, Ousman Badjie, has said he would not order his men to fight
other African troops if they enter the Gambian territory.
He
spoke on Wednesday, January 18, as Senegalese and other Economic
Community of West African States (ECOWAS) troops are stationed on The
Gambia’s borders.
The West African
troops are on standby to move into The Gambia as President Yahya Jammeh
approached a midnight deadline to step down or face military action
after refusing to leave at the end of his term.
READ ALSO: 6 facts you need to know about Yahya Jammeh, the out-going Gambian president
“We are not going to involve ourselves militarily. This is a political dispute,” Badjie said, after eating dinner in a tourist district close to the capital, Banjul.
He continued:
“I am not going to involve my soldiers in a stupid fight. I love my
men, we are not going to involve ourselves militarily. This is a
political dispute… I am not going to involve my soldiers in a stupid
fight. I love my men.
“If they (Senegalese) come in, we are here like this,” Badjie said, making a hands up to surrender gesture.
Meanwhile,
the Senegal army spokesman Colonel Abdou Ndiaye said the Senegalese
troops are on alert ahead of the expiration of Jammeh's deadline.
“Our troops are on alert… The ultimatum takes effect at midnight,” he said.
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