A HAMPSHIRE man fears for the safety of his family as tensions mount in The Gambia. 

Father-of-three, Dr Abdoulie Sanneh is scared for the lives of his mother, father and siblings who are all still living in the small west African country.

The country is in turmoil after former president, Yahya Jammeh, who seized control of the country in a coup more than two decades ago, refused to stand down after losing the presidential election to Adama Barrow.

African leaders gave Mr Jammeh a final opportunity to relinquish power by noon yesterday, however that deadline, and another of 4pm, were not met.

At the time of going to press yesterday Mr Jammeh had still not ceded power.

Adama Barrow, who was elected president last month, was sworn in Thursday, and the UN Security Council voted unanimously to approve the regional military intervention.

The inauguration took place at the Gambian embassy in neighbouring Senegal for Mr Barrow’s safety.

The West African regional force, including tanks, moved in during the evening without facing any resistance, said Marcel Alain de Souza, chairman of the West African regional bloc, Ecowas. At least 20 military vehicles were seen at the border town of Karang.

The regional force, including troops from Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, Togo and Mali, moved in after Mr Barrow’s inauguration and the UN vote.

Guinean President Alpha Conde arrived in the capital Banjul with Mauritanian counterpart Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz. Mauritania has been mentioned as a possible home in exile for Jammeh.

“My entire family live near the city. If Jammeh does not step down, the Gambian army and the Senegalese-led army will be forced to fight and my family will be affected,” said Dr Sanneh.

“I am sad, angry and nervous at the same time,” he said. 

“My family are too scared to leave the house, everyone in the country is in their homes.” 

Many Gambians describe the leader as a dictator and have urged him to respect the wishes of the people. 

Mr Sanneh, who is the Chairman of The United Voices of African Association said: “He is a very arrogant man who will kill or imprison anyone that challenges him.” 

One Hampshire woman, who went to the country to start a business, is too scared to speak on record but said that she has seen rebel soldiers in the street and that it is not safe to speak about politics at the moment. 

Although Barrow secured 60 per cent of the vote, Jammeh has a strong following. 

“I am embarrassed to come from somewhere that you cannot speak about politics. I felt like an animal with no rights. It is amazing how different it is here compared to Gambia. People listen and respect your views,” said Dr Sanneh, who works as a public health professional. 

Dr Sanneh worked for the Ministry of Health in Gambia and said friends and people he knew were killed for challenging political decisions. 

“I sat and ate with people who ‘disrespected’ Jammeh and they disappeared,” he said.

The Senegalese-led intervention force is expected to have more firepower than the Gambian army but it is not clear how much resistance it will face or how many civilians could get caught in the crossfire.

As previously reported by the Echo people on holiday in The Gambia have been flown home by a air companies amid growing concerns about political unrest.