ZIGUINCHOR, Senegal (AP) — A Senegalese official says a woman and her son were killed by a landmine Saturday in the southern Casamance region near the Gambian border.

Cheikh Tidiane Dieng, governor of the southern city of Ziguinchor, said the two were traveling in a cart when it hit a mine. The mother died on the spot, while the child was taken to the Ziguinchor hospital where he died, said Dieng.

Casamance has been plagued by separatist violence for 30 years.

The land mine explosion occurred at a time when the Platform of Women for Peace in Casamance reiterated its call to the Senegalese government to negotiate with the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC) in Ziguinchor to establish lasting peace in the Casamance region.