I’m Gambian security forces have thwarted an attempted irregular migration operation in the West Coast Region, resulting in the arrest of 110 suspected migrants.
The operation followed credible intelligence received late on Thursday, 12 February 2026, by the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF), indicating that a group of suspected irregular migrants had assembled in a forested area behind Sanyangha Village.
A joint operation was swiftly mounted involving personnel from the GAF stationed at Bulock and Kafuta Tumbung, the State Intelligence Service (SIS), the Gambia Immigration Department’s Irregular Migrant Unit, and the Gambia Police Force, including officers from the Police Intervention Unit (PIU) and General Duty units.
The joint team first regrouped at the Bulock Police Post before advancing into the targeted area.
With the cooperation of local villagers, security personnel arrested 87 suspects overnight, comprising 68 males and 19 females. In the early hours of Friday morning, a further 24 individuals emerged from the forest and surrendered to residents.
These included 14 adult males, six adult females, and three minors.
A suspected Ivorian agent was also arrested after being found roaming the area under suspicious circumstances.
A follow-up search-and-sweep operation increased the total number of apprehended suspects to 110, including 87 males and 23 females.
Preliminary screening shows that the majority of those arrested are foreign nationals.
The breakdown by nationality is: 57 Malians, 27 Senegalese, 13 Ivorians, six Guineans (Conakry), two Burkinabè, one Sierra Leonean, one Mauritanian, and three Gambians.
Initial investigations indicate that the group was preparing to embark on an irregular journey to Europe, commonly referred to as the “Back Way.”
All suspects have since been handed over to the Gambia Immigration Department for further screening, profiling, and documentation in accordance with immigration laws and procedures.
Gambian security forces said they remain committed to sustained joint operations aimed at dismantling irregular migration networks, safeguarding national security, and protecting vulnerable individuals from the dangers associated with irregular migration routes.
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