GUINEA BISSAU'S ARMY SAID ON SATURDAY IT HAD CHASED A GROUP OF HARDLINE SOUTHERN SENEGALESE SEPARATIST REBELS OFF ITS TERRITORY, ENDING WEEKS OF ON-OFF FIGHTING IN THE HEAVILY-MINED BORDER REGION, REUTERS REPORTED. THE ARMY HAS BEEN BATTLING SINCE THE MIDDLE OF LAST MONTH TO DISLODGE FIGHTERS LOYAL TO SALIF SADIO, A SEPARATIST LEADER FROM SENEGAL'S SOUTHERN CASAMANCE REGION, WHO CROSSED INTO GUINEA BISSAU AFTER COMING UNDER ATTACK FROM RIVAL FACTIONS. "THE TERRITORY OF GUINEA BISSAU HAS BEEN COMPLETELY CLEARED OF THE REBEL FACTION LOYAL TO SALIF SADIO," LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ANTONIO NDIAYE, WHO HAS BEEN LEADING THE GUINEA BISSAU ARMY OFFENSIVE AGAINST THE REBELS, TOLD REUTERS. "AS OF TODAY, THE BATTLE IS OVER," HE SAID. SOLDIERS SANG FROM ON TOP OF TANKS AND TRUCKS AS THEY DROVE BACK TO THEIR BASE IN THE BORDER TOWN OF SAO DOMINGOS. NDIAYE SAID THE ARMY HAD LIBERATED THREE BORDER VILLAGES HELD BY THE REBELS LATE ON FRIDAY BUT GAVE NO WORD ON CASUALTIES. IT WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY POSSIBLE TO CONFIRM FROM INDEPENDENT SOURCES THAT SADIO'S FACTION HAD LEFT GUINEA BISSAU.
