GUINEA BISSAU'S ARMY POUNDED A SENEGALESE REBEL BASE WITH ROCKET AND MORTAR FIRE ON FRIDAY IN A RENEWED OFFENSIVE TO TRY TO DISLODGE FIGHTERS WHO CROSSED INTO THE COUNTRY LAST WEEK. REINFORCEMENTS FROM THE CAPITAL BISSAU HELPED LAUNCH THE ASSAULT ON THE BASE WHERE SALIF SADIO, A HARDLINE CHIEF OF SENEGAL'S MOVEMENT OF DEMOCRATIC FORCES (MFDC), IS HOLED UP AFTER CROSSING THE BORDER UNDER ATTACK FROM RIVAL FACTIONS. 'WE'RE CLOSE TO DISLODGING SALIF SADIO FROM HIS BASE AT BARACA MANDIOCA. WE RECEIVED MEN AND EQUIPMENT TO BACK US UP YESTERDAY,' A SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL INVOLVED IN THE OPERATION TOLD REUTERS. HE SAID AROUND 2,500 SOLDIERS FROM GUINEA BISSAU WERE ON THE GROUND IN THE BORDER REGION. SADIO'S REBEL GROUP HAS FOUGHT A LOW-LEVEL INSURGENCY AGAINST SENEGAL'S GOVERNMENT FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES FOR INDEPENDENCE FOR CASAMANCE, A THIN STRIP OF LAND SEPARATED FROM THE REST OF SENEGAL BY GAMBIA. THE RECENT FIGHTING IN THE HEAVILY-MINED GUINEA BISSAU BORDER REGION HAS BEEN THE WORST FOR YEARS, WITH LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN SENEGAL AND GUINEA BISSAU SAYING A TOTAL OF SOME 5,000 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DISPLACED. NINE GUINEA BISSAU SOLDIERS HAVE BEEN KILLED IN THE LATEST VIOLENCE, THREE OF THEM LATE ON THURSDAY WHEN THEIR TRUCK HIT A LANDMINE. SEVERAL REBELS AND CIVILIANS HAVE ALSO BEEN KILLED, INCLUDING 12 PASSENGERS IN A MINIBUS TAXI WHICH HIT A MINE.
