Speaking at a press conference organised by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services, Minister Njie stated that many of the Gambians involved had initially travelled abroad on visitor or student visas before reportedly enlisting in foreign military forces.
The Gambian government is taking steps to address growing concerns about citizens being recruited to fight in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Minister for Foreign Affairs has warned Gambians against joining the war, citing reports of Gambians being killed in action. According to reports, at least 26 Gambians have lost their lives fighting for Russia in Ukraine.
According to the Foreign Minister, it has not been definitively ascertained whether those reported dead were killed on the frontline specifically, but rather during military operations.
He emphasised that the Government of The Gambia was unaware of their enlistment, describing the situation as volatile and complicated for authorities to manage.
“The government was not informed of their recruitment,” the Minister indicated, noting that such private enlistments create diplomatic and legal challenges.
Minister Njie stressed that the only sustainable solution to what he described as a growing menace affecting not only Gambians but other sub-regional citizens is robust public sensitisation.
He called for intensified education campaigns to discourage young people, particularly those without military training or experience, from enlisting in foreign wars.
He further explained that his ministry would engage both Russian and Ukrainian counterparts in a bid to discourage the recruitment and enlistment of Gambian citizens into the ongoing conflict.
The confirmation of at least 26 deaths now places renewed urgency on government efforts to address overseas recruitment schemes and protect vulnerable youths from exploitation amid global conflicts.
At least 26 Gambians have been confirmed killed in action while fighting for Russia in Ukraine, according to an investigative report by INPACT. The report reveals that these Gambians, along with other Africans, were recruited by Russia, often through deceptive means, and were used as "cannon fodder" in the war. The Ukrainian government has accused Russia of luring recruits from African countries with promises of money, education, or jobs, only to be sent to the frontlines.
The investigation details what it describes as a systematic campaign targeting vulnerable African youths with promises of high salaries and potential citizenship — promises that often end on the battlefield, leaving dozens of Gambian families grieving in silence.
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