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Senegal

Senegal flare-up displaces 650 people

DAKAR, Sep 05, 2009 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- Some 650 people have been displaced in the fighting between the Senegalese army and a separatist group in the southern province of Casamance, local media reported on Saturday.

The recent battle between the army and the fighters of the Movement of the Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC) forced the people to flee and took refuge at the Diabir checkpoint in the periphery of Ziguinchor, the provincial capital, the report said citing official sources.

The displaced people came from the villages of Diabir and Barafe, situated not far from Ziguinchor. The flare-up continued for days in locations close to the city.

On Friday, heavy gun shots were heard near Diabir, prompting a massive movement of people towards the neighboring areas.

A military chopper was witnessed overhead to survey the battleground, the report said.

The fighting was likely triggered by retaliation of the army for an attack by the MFDC at Diabir on Thursday. One soldier was killed. He succumbed to his injuries after having been evacuated to the regional hospital of Ziguinchor.

The spiral tit-for-tat attacks between the army and the fighters of the rebel movement seem to have come back after some calm years.

On Aug. 21-25, the battle erupted between the army and the MFDC. During the latest confrontations, the gun shots were heard at the University of Ziguinchor, but there were no reports of casualties.

In a press release made public on Wednesday, Cesar Atoute Badiate, head of Atika, the armed branch of the separatist movement, said "the events of Aug. 21" were "a retaliatory attack" on the army which had shot at their elements selling fruit at Kassana, a village situated about 12 km from the army base.

In the same text, Atika "denounced a boycott of the Casamance peace negotiations by the government of Senegal."

"If anyone can remember well, Atika ceased its war like activities to find a negotiated solution to the Casamance crisis, contrary to the decision taken by the government of Senegal which opted for the solution of the crisis by force," said the press release.

The government of Senegal signed peace accords with the MFDC towards the end of 2004 in Ziguinchor and the beginning of 2005 at Foundiougne.