Guinea - Guinea Bissau

Guinea-Bissau denies it is massing troops on border

Article published on the 2009-07-13 Latest update 2009-07-13 15:45 TU

Junta leader Moussa Dadis Camara
(Photo: RFI)

Guinea-Bissau has denied that it has amassed troops on its border Monday after neighbouring country Guinea put its army on high alert over the weekend. "We have no troops on the border with guinea. The only elements we have is a detachment of border guards, customs agents and border police, nothing more," Zamora Induta, the head of Guinea-Bissau's armed forces, told French newswire AFP.

The military government in Guinea has put the army on a state of alert after claiming that drug-financed forces were massing along its borders.

"According to credible information, troops massed along the northern borders with Guinea-Bissau, Casamance, and to the south (Liberia) are believed ready to attack Guinea," said a government statement.

Government leader Captain Moussa Dadis Camara "has put the entire armed forces on the highest state of alert to tackle any attempts at destabilisation," the statement added.

"Certain drug dealers have managed to flee to neighbouring countries like Guinea-Bissau and Casamance and are now looking to destabilise the country."

The government "informs the countries involved that if such acts were occurring on their respective territories, the Guinea army reserves the right to pursue into the interior of those countries involved".

The junta took control after the death on 23 December 2008 of President Lansana Conté.

A ban on all political and union activities was reinstated at the end of June.

There was no immediate comment from the authorities in Senegal or Guinea-Bissau.