Army Chief Reveals Tense Reality At Sierra Leone – Guinea Border
By Catherine Dumbuya
The Chief of Army Staff of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF), Major General Kemoh Sesay, has revealed the tense and fragile reality along the Sierra Leone–Guinea border, warning that a single miscalculation could plunge the two sister nations into open conflict.
Speaking at the weekly press conference hosted by the Ministry of Information and Civic Education at the Miata Conference Hall on March 3, the Army Chief described the incident as a fact-finding and reassurance mission that nearly spiraled into war.
According to him, the deployment to the disputed border area was intended to engage communities and assess concerns following reports of Guinean troop presence. However, the situation escalated when Guinean forces allegedly advanced with approximately 300 troops, two armored personnel carriers (APCs), and six pickup trucks mounted with anti-aircraft (AA) guns.
Major General Sesay disclosed that tensions heightened when Guinean soldiers reportedly attempted to confront Sierra Leonean troops over the presence of a national flag in the area — though he clarified that no flag had been erected at the time.
Faced with a heavily armed formation, the Sierra Leonean commander on the ground conducted what he described as a “battle appreciation,” weighing the immediate impact of engagement against the broader consequences.
“It was not about one or two soldiers losing their lives,” he explained. “At the end of the day, it could have meant a declaration of war between two sister countries — and civilians, especially women and children, would suffer the most.”
In a calculated move to prevent escalation, Sierra Leonean forces chose restraint over retaliation. Rather than opening fire, they surrounded the opposing troops and called for calm, preventing any gunshots from being fired.
The Defense Chief emphasized that while some may interpret the decision as weakness, it was, in fact, a deliberate sacrifice to preserve national peace and regional stability.
He noted that communities along the border share deep historical and ethnic ties, with families and traditional authorities connected across both sides. Local cross-border mechanisms, including traditional leadership structures, have often helped to resolve disputes before they escalate.
“People talk about weakness,” he said. “But they do not understand the level of sacrifice a soldier makes to maintain peace. If we had allowed emotions to take over, it would have been war stretching across the entire border belt.”
The Minister of Information, he added, had rightly characterized the mission as one aimed at establishing facts and reassuring affected communities, rather than provoking confrontation.
The March 3 disclosure underscores the delicate security dynamics between Sierra Leone and Guinea and highlights the high-stakes decisions taken behind the scenes to prevent conflict in the Mano River region.
Despite the tensions, both countries continue to maintain diplomatic and military communication channels aimed at resolving border concerns through dialogue rather than force.
