Dissolution of the ECOWAS mission contingent in The Gambia: End of a multi-month operational commitment

On Wednesday, October 21, 2026, in Thiès, the 9th Senegalese Detachment (DETSENS) deployed with the Economic Community of West African States Mission in The Gambia (ECOWAS/MICAG) was officially dissolved. Colonel Mohamadou Abdoulaye Sylla, commander of Military Zone No. 7, took the opportunity to reflect on the significance of the ceremony, which marked the end of a multi-month operational deployment. During this time, the men and women of DETSENS served with honor, discipline, and dedication in a complex environment, working to promote peace and stability in The Gambia.

Colonel Sylla reviewed the mission's achievements, paying tribute to the efforts made and expressing the authority's gratitude to all personnel who contributed to its success. This ECOWAS mission to The Gambia was deployed in January 2017 following the political and institutional crisis that ensued after the presidential election of December 1, 2016.

The senior officer recalled that this political crisis has plunged a brotherly and friendly nation of Senegal into a political deadlock, with repercussions that could extend beyond The Gambia to peace and stability in the sub-region. Faced with this situation, ECOWAS, with the support of the African Union and the United Nations, has undertaken several diplomatic initiatives to achieve a peaceful resolution to the crisis and ensure peace and security, the cornerstones of stability.

Following the failure of initial mediation attempts, ECOWAS decided to deploy a regional force tasked with contributing to the restoration of constitutional order, securing strategic points, facilitating the effective assumption of duties by the elected president, and paving the way for a political transition.

Initially designed to support this transition, the Gambia International Support Mission to the Gambia (MICEGA) has had its mandate extended to contribute to the stabilization of the country, the strengthening of the Gambian defense and security forces, and the consolidation of democratic institutions. Its presence is thus long-term, serving the cause of peace, security, and stability in The Gambia.

It is in this context that the 9th Senegalese detachment, comprising 618 military personnel, including 10 female personnel, was deployed to Gambia from September 21, 2025 to September 23, 2026. To accomplish its mission, DETSEN 9 was organized into several complementary units, located on different sites in Gambian territory.

An organization founded on the complementarity and coordination of resources, which, according to Colonel Sylla, enabled DETSEN 9 to carry out its assigned missions with resounding success. Its operational record testifies to the constant commitment of its personnel and the quality of the work accomplished in the field.

During its deployment, the detachment carried out 127 missions to secure presidential travel, 142 joint and routine patrols, and more than 50 escort missions in support of the logistical movements and personnel of the detachment.