Senior government officials and military commanders on Friday praised soldiers stationed at the Bullock Military Border Post for showing restraint after Senegalese troops crossed into the disputed border area and demolished part of the camp's perimeter fence, an incident that has heightened tensions between the two neighbouring countries while prompting renewed diplomatic efforts to resolve a long-running border dispute.

The visit by senior officials came a day after the Senegalese Armed Forces used bulldozers to tear down more than 200 meters of fencing surrounding the Gambian military post in Bullock, a border village in Foni Berefet District in the West Coast Region.

The Gambian government has described the demolition as "profoundly provocative and totally unacceptable," while insisting that it will seek a peaceful solution through diplomatic channels rather than military action.

When Foroyaa visited the military post on Friday and found senior government officials there, the atmosphere was calm but tense. The destroyed section of the perimeter fence remained clearly visible as military commanders, government officials, community leaders and the National Assembly Member for Foni Berefet walked through the affected area to assess the damage.

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The dispute centres on competing claims over the exact location of the international boundary. Senegalese military authorities have argued that the Gambian military camp had extended into Senegalese territory, an allegation that The Gambia's Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant General Ousman Gomez, has firmly rejected.

Despite the destruction of the fence, Gambian soldiers stationed at the border did not retaliate. Their decision to wait for orders from their commanders drew praise from government leaders, who said the soldiers had prevented the situation from escalating into a military confrontation.

One soldier, speaking to Foroyaa during the visit, expressed frustration over the incident but said discipline had guided their response.

"Even if the fence was erected in the territory, they should have used diplomatic means of resolving the matter rather than the way they handled it. They just came to provoke us because they knew we would not react. We are not weak; we were just waiting for a command from the top," the soldier said.

The National Security Adviser, Abubakarr Suleiman Jeng, described the demolition as an unnecessary act that could have been avoided through dialogue.

"Even if the fence was erected in their territory, there were other means that they could have used rather than demolishing the fence by themselves," Mr Jeng told Foroyaa's Managing Editor, Samuel O. Sarr.

"We take the matter seriously and have already started engaging the Senegalese government on the issue. President Adama Barrow is travelling to ECOWAS and will pick up the matter with the ECOWAS president."

Mr Jeng also praised the conduct of the Gambian soldiers.

"They could have handled the situation roughly, but because they respect commands and regimentation. That's why they were able to act professionally."

Standing before the soldiers at the border post, Chief of Defence Staff Lt. Gen. Ousman Gomez commended them for following military discipline despite the destruction of the fence.

"You have done what is expected of you, and as the CDS is, I will never sacrifice any of you. I know you were waiting for a command from the top and I salute you for that. Let's continue to maintain the discipline we are always known for and continue to defend this country."

He reminded the troops that determining the location of the international boundary was not their responsibility.

"You are not here to determine where the borders end. You are here to protect lives and properties. Never feel provoked, continue to do what you are supposed to do."

The Secretary General and Head of the Civil Service, Alieu Njie, also reassured the soldiers that the government would pursue the matter through diplomatic means.

"You have done what is expected of you, and we commend you for that. The government will take up the matter to the highest level and make sure it is solved in a diplomatic way."

Government officials also met members of the surrounding community, assuring residents that the country's security forces remained committed to protecting lives and maintaining peace along the border.

In a statement issued on Friday, July 17, the Gambian government said it was deeply concerned by the events that unfolded at the Bullock Military Border Post.

The government confirmed that part of the perimeter fence surrounding the Gambian military installation had been demolished "without prior consultation through the established bilateral military and diplomatic mechanisms that have long guided cooperation between our two sister countries." While condemning the action, the government emphasised that it remained committed to dialogue.

"The Gambia considers this action profoundly provocative and totally unacceptable," the statement said, adding that the government "remains fully committed to resolving the matter peacefully through dialogue and the existing Joint Military Committee and other bilateral channels."

Officials said formal diplomatic engagement with Senegal had already begun. Later on Friday, the Government of Senegal also released a statement responding to The Gambia's position. Dakar reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining friendly relations with The Gambia while insisting that the disputed area has been under discussion by both countries for several years. According to the Senegalese government, it had repeatedly warned Gambian authorities about what it described as encroachments into Senegalese territory and installations considered incompatible with the joint management of the shared border. Senegal said that despite years of discussions and high-level exchanges, no lasting agreement had been reached on the exact boundary in the area. The government maintained that the July 16 incident was not intended to challenge Gambian sovereignty or damage relations between the two countries. Instead, it described the incident as part of a broader and unresolved border dispute requiring a permanent solution.

Senegal also reaffirmed its commitment to resolving the disagreement peacefully through dialogue, consultation, bilateral mechanisms and existing diplomatic channels.

The confrontation is the latest in a series of border incidents between the neighbouring countries. In May 2002, Senegalese military aircraft bombed the Gambian border village of Dimbaya during operations against fighters of the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC). Senegal later said its pilots had crossed into Gambian territory unintentionally while pursuing opposition fighters. That incident led to an increased deployment of Gambian troops along the border.

Over the years, there have also been occasional reports of Senegalese soldiers crossing into parts of Foni and nearby communities, sometimes halting the construction of Gambian military installations or dismantling fences over claims that they had crossed into Senegalese territory. The Gambia and Senegal share one of West Africa's most porous borders, where the precise location of some sections has remained disputed for years. Successive governments have relied on joint border verification exercises and diplomatic engagement to address disagreements over the frontier, and officials from both countries now say those mechanisms remain the preferred path for resolving the latest dispute.