Senegal's army prepares for offensive

The army in Senegal says it is preparing for a major offensive in the southern Casamance region against separatist rebels.

A statement issued overnight said troops would be targetting members of the rebel Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance, or MFDC, and people whom it believes have collaborated with the rebels.

Correspondents say civilians have already started to move out of the region and government troops are moving in.

The MFDC has waged a violent 20-year campaign to create a separate state in southern Senegal.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service