By Svetlana Marshall
As investigations continue into the shooting of six members of the Guyana Defence Force by members of a suspected Venezuelan gang in the Cuyuni River, President Irfaan Ali today said the Government of Guyana is taking the attack on the country’s military men “seriously.”
On the sidelines of the Guyana Energy Conference today, the President told reporters that the Government is gathering information on the attack but regardless of the attackers, the issue remains a serious one. There are reports that the members of the gang have since been arrested by Venezuelan authorities after they went seeking medical help for wounds they sustained.
“We are taking this very seriously. Even if, and I am not saying this is the case because we have to do the evaluation, but even if it is an armed gang or any of those organizations that operate on the Venezuela side on the border, this is serious. This is serious because they fired on ranks in uniform,” he told reporters.
The President said once the evaluation is completed, the country will then discuss its posture moving forward.
“Let’s get the evaluation and then we will discuss a posture that is important for the protection of our men and women in uniform and also of our sovereignty,” President Ali said.
In a statement issued earlier today, the President said the Government was deeply concerned about the well-being of the soldiers injured in the attack.
The injured have since been evacuated for further medical care in Georgetown.
The President has assured that the soldiers will get the best medical care.
In a statement late last night, the GDF said a number its soldiers were injured after coming under gunfire from a suspected Venezuelan criminal gang as they patrolled the Cuyuni River near the border with Venezuela.
The incident took place just after 3:30 on Monday afternoon.
It was explained that the soldiers were part of a “resupply patrol” on their way from Makapa to Eteringbang when they came under fire from a group of armed men positioned on the Venezuelan bank of the Cuyuni River.
The GDF said the patrol immediately responded to the attack and engaged the assailants with return fire.
During the exchange, several members of the patrol sustained gunshot injuries and immediate efforts have been underway to ensure their safe extraction and medical treatment, the GDF stated.
The GDF also indicated that it has been mobilized to reinforce its presence in the area, ensuring the security of its personnel and safeguarding the territorial integrity of Guyana.
The Force said it remains committed to protecting its borders and will take all necessary measures to address any threats to national security, as it continues to closely monitor the situation.
In a separate statement, the Guyana Police Force said the GDF team was using a thirty-foot boat powered by a 185-horsepower Yamaha engine when it was intercepted by two wooden boats carrying heavily armed, masked men.
The Police said the armed men circled the GDF boat and opened fire, prompting the GDF ranks to return fire although multiple GDF members sustained gunshot wounds.
The Police identified the injured soldiers as Second Lieutenant Ansel Murray, who suffered a gunshot wound to the right side of his head; Sgt Kevon Davis, who was shot in the right foot and ankle; Cpl Andrew Fraser, who sustained gunshot wounds to the left side of his abdomen and shoulder; Cpl Kevin Henry, who was shot in the left arm and shoulder; L/Cpl Travis Yorrick, who was injured in the right thigh; and Private Ezron Samuel, who was shot in the right side of his abdomen.
The matter is under investigation. News Source understands that the top brass of the GDF and senior members of the Government have been meeting on the attack.
The attack on the Guyana soldiers came on the anniversary of the 1966 Geneva Agreement between Guyana and Venezuela. That agreement provided the framework for the resolution of the border controversy after Venezuela rekindled its claims following the settlement of the border dispute in 1899.
Guyana currently has Venezuela before the International Court of Justice seeking a final juridical settlement of the controversy. Tensions have been flaring between Guyana and Venezuela over the past few years, with Venezuela making moves to make Guyana’s Essequibo region a state of Venezuela.
Guyana has rejected and condemned those moves by Venezuela.
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