AYV News, May 6, 2025
The Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) have recently made strategic deployments in Sokoma and Pengu Bendu, approximately 200 metres from Yenga, to protect citizens and assert national sovereignty.
The country’s Ministry of Information and Civic Education said the deployments nearly surround the Guinean position, while diplomatic efforts continue to seek a final resolution to the dispute.
Reports over the weekend indicate that Guinean soldiers stationed across the border attempted to dislodge Sierra Leonean troops from their long-standing position in Sukuba.
However, the Sierra Leonean forces stood their ground and successfully repelled the effort, and in a show of apparent frustration, the Guinean troops allegedly fired shots into the air and shouted aggressively upon returning to their base, sparking panic among residents.
This led to a mass movement of civilians from Yenga and surrounding communities to nearby Koindu town for safety.
A high-powered delegation of government officials and regional stakeholders on Saturday, 3rd May 2025, visited Koindu Town in Kissi Teng chiefdom, Kailahun district, to engage with local authorities and residents over the long-standing border dispute concerning Yenga, a territory claimed by both Sierra Leone and Guinea.
Paramount Chief of Kissi Teng chiefdom, Chief Ganawa, expressed deep appreciation for the visit, stating that it was a significant step toward resolving the Yenga crisis. He thanked his counterpart, the Paramount Chief of Nongoa, and the government officials for their commitment and urged that the issue be resolved peacefully. “With the presence of these high-level authorities, I believe that the problem of Yenga will finally come to an end by the grace of God,” he said.
