ECNETNews, New York, NY, Mon. Feb. 19, 2024: Guyana’s President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Dr. Irfaan Ali, has confirmed that an evaluation is underway following a violent attack on Guyana Defence Force (GDF) ranks by suspected criminal operatives from Venezuela.
The attack, which occurred on Monday, involved a group of heavily armed assailants firing on a GDF resupply vessel from Venezuelan territory along the Cuyuni River, resulting in six soldiers sustaining gunshot wounds. Fortunately, there were no fatalities; however, two soldiers are in critical condition and were airlifted to Georgetown for urgent medical treatment.
“We’re taking this very seriously,” President Ali stated at the Energy Conference in Georgetown. He emphasized that security forces are actively assessing the situation and will determine the necessary response to ensure the protection of Guyana’s military personnel and sovereignty.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Hilton Todd, has urgently summoned Venezuela’s Ambassador to formally express Guyana’s outrage and demand accountability for the attack. Minister Todd made it clear that Guyana holds Venezuela accountable under international law, stressing the need for Venezuela to prevent such armed incursions across its borders.
“The inaction of Venezuela in addressing these criminal gangs within its territory is a matter of serious concern. Guyana will not hesitate to fully exercise its rights under international law to hold Venezuela accountable,” Minister Todd declared.
The GDF reiterated its commitment to securing Guyana’s borders and will take all necessary measures to counter any threats to national security. The incident is likely to heighten tensions between the two neighboring nations, which have a history of territorial disputes over the oil-rich Essequibo region.
Guyana continues to urge Venezuela to take decisive action against criminal gangs operating near the shared border and to prevent any future attacks on Guyanese security forces.
