By Lamin Bangura
Guinea’s armed forces detained several Sierra Leonean security personnel after crossing into disputed territory in northern Sierra Leone, the government said, escalating tensions along a sensitive border area.
In a statement on Tuesday, Sierra Leone’s government said armed personnel from the Guinean Armed Forces crossed into Kalieyereh Village in Sulima Chiefdom, Falaba District, on Monday and apprehended members of a joint security team, including an officer.
The detained personnel were taken across the border into Guinean territory, and their arms and ammunition were seized, the government said, adding that it had dispatched a fact-finding mission to the area to assess the situation.
Security sources earlier said that the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) had established a checkpoint in Kalieyereh, which Sierra Leone considers part of its territory.
Guinean troops challenged the deployment, arguing the area falls within Guinea’s jurisdiction, and requested geographical proof, including GPS coordinates, to support Sierra Leone’s claim before any checkpoint could be mounted, the sources said.
Despite the objection, Sierra Leonean forces proceeded with the deployment, after which Guinean authorities detained an RSLAF captain and other personnel and transported them to the Guinean capital, Conakry, according to the sources.
A total of 13 Sierra Leonean military personnel and two officers from the Operational Support Division (OSD) of the Sierra Leone Police were among those detained, security sources said.
Authorities in Guinea had not publicly commented on the incident by the time of publication.
Sierra Leone’s government said it was engaging diplomatic channels to secure the release of its personnel and to prevent further escalation along the frontier.
The incident has renewed attention on longstanding tensions between Sierra Leone and Guinea, including the unresolved status of Yenga, a border settlement occupied by Guinean forces during Sierra Leone’s 1991–2002 civil war.
In 2023, Sierra Leone’s Office of National Security warned of increased Guinean military activity near communities in Falaba District, raising concerns among residents about territorial control and security.
Border disputes remain a source of friction in parts of West Africa, where some colonial-era boundaries remain contested.
