Three Senegalese troops wounded in latest Casamance attack - For the second time in as many days, Senegalese troops stationed in Affiniam, about 10 km North-west of Ziguinchor in the southern part of the country, were attacked by armed men, leaving three soldiers injured, PANA reported Wednesday. The attack was suspected to have been carried out by armed men belonging to the separatist Movement of the Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC, separatist).

The same brigade at Affiniam was attacked the day before, leaving one soldier killed, four injured and two taken hostage.

The attackers on Tuesday were said to have arrived around 8pm local time, triggering a hot and long exchange of gunfire before they were repelled.

Nothing has been heard from the two soldiers who were taken hostage a day earlier, sources close to the brigade said.

These past weeks, there has been a resurgence of attacks against the army and civilians in Casamance by elements of the MFDC which, since 1982, has been campaigning for the independence of the main region of southern Senegal.

Pana 04/01/2012