IPNEWS: The Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Guinea, General Ibrahima Sory Bangoura has ordered the withdrawal of Guinean troops from the Liberia and Sierra Leone borders, beginning Tuesday, March 17, 2026.
In an official statement issued on March 16, in Conakry, from the Ministry of National Defense, the General Staff of the Armed Forces informed national and international public opinion that the decision follows the Summit of Heads of State of the Mano River Union held in Conakry on Monday, March 16, 2026.
According to the statement, member states agreed to end border disputes through diplomatic channels and to strengthen interstate cooperation aimed at fostering security, trust, and peaceful coexistence among neighboring countries bound by history, geography, and culture with in the Mano River Basin.
The Armed Forces stressed their readiness to defend every portion of Guinean territory, if necessary, despite their reaffirmation to peace.
However, to ensure the effective implementation of the summit’s resolutions, authorities have decided on a gradual reduction of military deployment along Guinea’s borders, effective March 17.
The Guinean Army Chief further called on citizens to remain vigilant and continue supporting peace and dialogue initiatives among the Mano River Union countries.
The withdrawal followed Tuesday’s morning reports that armed Guinean soldiers crossed into Liberian territory in Lofa County, barely a day after a high-level summit in Conakry aimed at easing tensions between the two countries.
Eyewitness accounts and local authorities in Lofa say the soldiers crossed at the Sorlumba crossing point, moving beyond the Makona River—internationally recognized as the boundary between Liberia and Guinea—into Liberian soil. The incident has sparked fear among residents already on edge following days of heightened uncertainty.
Live Facebook videos from the area show residents fleeing their towns and villages with their belongings, trekking to safer locations in scenes reminiscent of Liberia’s civil war era, when large portions of the population were displaced.
Lofa County Superintendent J. Lavelah Massaquoi, who visited the area, described the situation as troubling and urged residents to remain calm while the government engages diplomatically.
“The reason is, you, as a civilian and myself, it is we the government that supposed to protect. You cannot protect yourself. That’s why you cannot make decision on your own,” Massaquoi said.
“I want everybody to remain calm… Talk to our people, let them be stable.”
Superintendent Massaquoi disclosed that he directly engaged the Guinean soldiers, who told him they were acting under military orders and would need to consult their superiors.
“Every time they say we came for peace, but you can’t come for peace with guns in your hands,” he added. “I spoke to them, but they said they are army people; they have to talk with their bosses.”
According to him, Guinean authorities requested further communication through official channels, prompting plans to report the situation to his bosses in Monrovia.
