With three attacks occurring within the past 48 hours at the Guyana-Venezuela border, Chief of Defence Staff, Brigadier Omar Khan, has said that the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) has enhanced its operational posture and is continuing to monitor the country’s western border.
There are currently soldiers from both the Infantry and Coast Guard at the border locations.
The attacks occurred between Tuesday, May 13, and Thursday, 15 May. During each instance, Brigadier Khan on Thursday said the GDF ranks returned fire. No ranks were injured, nor was any vessel damaged.
The attacks were carried out by men dressed in civilian clothing who used automatic weapons. At this point, Brigadier Khan said the GDF has an idea about the type of weapon which was used, but he did not disclose details. He was, however, unable to state whether the Venezuelan gunmen are part of the country’s military.
“In the last 48 hours we would have had three such incidents. This is unprecedented.
“The Guyana Defence Force has since the first incident enhanced its operational posture and adopted drills that would mitigate and react wherever such incidents occurred. Certainly this has now become a situation which we will continue to monitor.
“….We will continue to patrol that same area and to eliminate any threat to our people and any incursion to our territory,” Brigadier Khan told reporters at a press conference held at Camp Base Ayanganna on Thursday.
In providing details, Brigadier Khan said on May 13, at around 17:17 hrs, a patrol departed Eteringbang to Makapa using two of the marine assets. While en route, he said the armed men opened fire on the patrol. The patrol returned fire and was able to exit safely along the river heading to Makapa.
While on Wednesday at about 14:35 hrs, Brigadier Khan said another patrol departed Makapa and was heading to Black Water. At Baboon, he said the armed men opened fire again on the patrol. The patrol returned fire and no rank was injured.
Three hours later, Brigadier Khan noted that another patrol travelling from Eteringbang, while passing Baboon, came under fire and they returned fire.
Brigadier Khan confirmed that he was “in location” when the first attack unfolded on Tuesday.
Whilst there, he said he visited four communities and interacted with residents who he said were “not scared”.
In fact, Brigadier Khan highlighted that Baboon is an isolated area with no civilian operation.
The incidents, Brigadier Khan said, would have caused “some concern” along the bordering community.
In fact, Brigadier Khan said just on Thursday afternoon, another patrol was conducted by the GDF in the Baboon area and it was incident-free.
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