SUMMARY
MFDC Front Nord - MD (Mouvement des forces démocratiques de Casamance – Front Nord Dieme, Movement of the Democratic Forces of the Casamance – Northern Front Magne Diémé faction) was one of numerous splinter groups in the rebel camp. For more information about the main MFDC group and the background to its formation, see the actor description for MFDC.
From the beginning of its armed struggle against the Senegalese government the separatist MFDC was fraught by internal splits. The first split occurred in 1992, following the signing of two accords with the government. Large parts of the movement, including its leading political figure Augustin Diamacoune Senghor, distanced themselves from the agreements, claiming that they did not resolve the fundamental question of Casamance’s political status. Thus, the group split in two as the signatory of the accord, Sidy Baji and his followers left the movement. They subsequently became known as Front Nord, due to the group’s original area of military operation, north of the Casamance River.
While the main group continued the armed struggle against the government, the break-away faction under Badji retired from active combat in an informal exchange for which they were allowed to retain de facto control of much of the northwest of the Bignona departments in Casamance. The group subsequently survived by operating business activities including the supply of timber, palm-oil, rhun-palm, palm-wine and cannabis to the Gambian market with complete impunity. In 2003 Badji died of cancer and was replaced by Kamougé Diatta as head of MFDC’s Front Nord. In the same year the movement split, as Magne Diémé, a Front Nord commander who was traditionally regarded as more moderate, broke away with a large number of followers, creating the splinter group MFDC Front Nord - MD.
Magne Diémé was imprisoned in Ghana in 2006 and Youssouf Sambou, also known as Rambo led the group until he was executed. Lamarana Sambou took command over the group. In May 2015 the fighters in Diakaye replaced Sambou with Assambane (Nouha Diene). Fatoma Coly succeeded Assambane.
Over the years there have been repeated allegations of close ties between MFDC’s Front Nord and neighbouring Gambia. A Diola, like the rebels, Gambian president Yahya Jammeh is said to have integrated whole rebel platoons that only obey his orders into the Gambian army. Furthermore, Front Nord allegedly made up his presidential guard at his residence in Kaninlai, just two kilometres across the border. Reports state that in exchange the faction received supplies like medicines and arms.
MFDC Front Nord - MD has been involved in the non-state category of UCDP organised violence.
