By By The People News
Foya, Lofa County — A fragile calm along the Liberia–Guinea frontier was shattered on Wednesday after Guinean soldiers reportedly opened fire across the border and retook control of a disputed territory in Sorlumba Clan, leaving a Liberian civilian wounded and deepening fears of a broader border confrontation.
Local authorities say the gunfire erupted when Guinean troops advanced toward the contested zone while escorting a group of Guinean civilians. The situation quickly escalated after Liberian youths allegedly attempted to block the group from crossing into what residents claim is Liberian territory.
During the exchange, a Liberian man was struck by a bullet in the thigh. Foya Statutory District Commissioner B. Njamilah S. Bornguoi confirmed the injury, noting that the victim was rushed to the Foya Boma Hospital where medical staff managed to stabilize him.
“The man was shot in the thigh when the soldiers began firing,” Bornguoi said, adding that the circumstances surrounding the shooting are still being verified.
The incident has triggered panic among residents living near the border, many of whom have been closely following the unfolding territorial dispute.
Following the gunfire, Guinean soldiers reportedly pushed forward and reoccupied the disputed site, once again raising the Guinean national flag in the area.
Witnesses say the move symbolized a forceful assertion of Guinea’s claim over the territory, which has become a flashpoint in recent days amid competing interpretations of the Liberia–Guinea boundary line.
Local leaders say the latest development marks a dramatic shift in the standoff that had been simmering between the two border communities.
Authorities believe the confrontation may have been fueled by tension from an earlier incident involving Guinean soldiers.
According to Commissioner Bornguoi, the Guinean troops were escorting civilians who reportedly wanted retaliation over claims that Guinean soldiers had previously been harassed by Liberians in the area.
The presence of civilians alongside armed troops reportedly heightened emotions on both sides of the border, ultimately triggering the violent encounter.
Wednesday’s shooting follows warnings issued by Guinean soldiers just a day earlier after they were compelled to remove a Guinean flag that had been erected in the disputed zone.
At the time, the soldiers reportedly warned local authorities that they would return and that their response would be “unpredictable.”
“What has happened today appears connected to the warning they issued yesterday,” Bornguoi noted.
### Border Community on Edge
Residents across Sorlumba Clan remain gripped by fear as the situation continues to evolve. Community members say the presence of armed troops and renewed territorial claims have created uncertainty in villages along the Makona River corridor.
Local authorities say they are closely monitoring the situation while awaiting possible intervention from Liberian security forces and diplomatic channels.
The Liberia–Guinea boundary around Sorlumba has increasingly become a volatile hotspot, raising concerns that the dispute could spiral into a more serious cross-border confrontation if urgent diplomatic engagement is not pursued.
