Reacting to reports in the Suriname press, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on March 6th said that an operation against illegal mining on February 19 was conducted by the GDF “exclusively in the undisputed sovereign territory” of Guyana.
The ministry was responding to what it noted was a series of statements emanating from the media in Suriname related to the February 19 operation conducted by the Guyana Defence Force (GDF). The ministry did not identify the reports.
In its statement, the ministry did not refer to the location but on February 22, the GDF said that a Joint Services operation had led to the discovery of a helicopter and an illegal mining site operated by Brazilians. Two persons, including the pilot of the helicopter, who are from neighbouring Brazil were taken into custody.
