Sierra Leone's government has stated that several members of a security team, including an officer, were apprehended and taken across the border by Guinean military personnel. The incident occurred on Monday in the border town of Kalieyereh, located in the Falaba district.
The two West African nations have been engaged in a longstanding border dispute stemming from Sierra Leone's civil war between 1991 and 2002. During the conflict, Sierra Leone invited Guinea to help defend its eastern borders, but Guinean troops did not fully withdraw after the war ended.
According to a statement from the Sierra Leonean government, the detained security personnel were involved in making bricks for the construction of a border post and accommodation facility. The government also reported that their weapons and ammunition were confiscated, though it did not specify the exact number of individuals taken into Guinea.
The government said it is actively engaging through diplomatic and security channels to confirm the whereabouts of the detained individuals and secure their safe and unconditional release. Guinean authorities have not yet commented on the incident.
Sierra Leone emphasised that the national flag was hoisted in Kalieyereh and that the territory is recognised as belonging to Sierra Leone. The incident follows a previous incursion last year when Guinean troops entered a mineral-rich border town in Sierra Leone, raising regional concerns.
