BANJUL (Reuters) - Gambian security forces detained 15 Senegalese soldiers in the former British colony on Tuesday, a military official said, amid tensions between the West African neighbours caused by a transport dispute. The armed and uniformed Senegalese troops were detained near the main market in the Gambian capital of Banjul. The soldiers said they had come to buy sugar and satellite dishes, which are cheaper in Gambia than in Senegal. They were taken for questioning in a nearby naval base, the military officer, who asked not be named, told Reuters. Senegalese officials said they were not aware of the detentions, which occurred as an acrimonious dispute over the fee for the Gambia river crossing strained bilateral ties. "We found the Senegalese soldiers in two pick-up trucks some 500 metres (yards) from the market," the Gambian military official said. "Now we are going to find out what they were doing right in the heart of Banjul." One of Africa's smallest states, finger-shaped Gambia nearly divides Senegal's territory in two, stretching 350 km (217 miles) inland from the Atlantic seaboard along the banks of the Gambia river. Relations between the two neighbours soured last month when Banjul hiked the fee for the Gambia river crossing which links the two halves of Senegal, a former French colony. Senegalese bus drivers have blockaded the road to and from Gambia, forcing vehicles to cover hundreds of extra kilometres (miles) to reach Senegal's southern province of Casamance and disrupting trade with Gambia. The dispute is also affecting supplies of goods and foodstuffs to Guinea-Bissau, which borders southern Senegal. © Reuters 2005. All Rights Reserved. More Top News Sudan names new power-sharing govt in Khartoum Britain talks to Egypt on deporting wanted exiles Britain to send judge to Zambia in Chiluba case Liberia rejects UK charity schoolgirl sex comments S.Africa says may resume lethal elephant culls UN takes home Chadians from CAR, fears more refugees Somali warlords debate fight against government Zimbabwe 2006 tobacco output seen down by a third Zimbabwe mulls same-day presidency, assembly vote MORE Help & Info | Contact Us | Feedback | Advertise | Disclaimer | Copyright | Privacy | Partner Newspapers About Us | Products & Services | Customer Zone | Careers _________________________________________________________________ FREE pop-up blocking with the new MSN Toolbar - get it now! http://toolbar.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200415ave/direct/01/ ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤