Troops from ECOWAS entered The Gambia in January 2017 following long-time Gambian President Yahya Jammeh's refusal to step down after his loss in the 2016 presidential election to Adama Barrow.

Forces entered the country on 19 January at the request of Barrow, who was sworn in that day as the new president at the Gambian embassy in Dakar, Senegal.

Following his departure, 4,000 ECOWAS troops remained in The Gambia to maintain order in preparation for Barrow to return and consolidate his presidency.

A week after his inauguration, Barrow returned to the country while requesting the 2,500 troops stay for at least six months to help him firmly establish order.

In the following months, two civilians were reported to have been killed in incidents surrounding protests against the continued military presence in the community.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) decided to intervene militarily in the Gambian constitutional crisis that occurred as a result of Gambian President Yahya Jammeh refusing to step down after losing the December 2016 presidential election, and set 19 January 2017 as the date the troops would move into the Gambia if Jammeh continued to refuse to step down.

[25][26] Senegal halted its offensive in order to provide a final chance to mediate the crisis, with the invasion planned to proceed at noon on 20 January if Jammeh still refused to relinquish power.

The troops remained in Banjul, and at important locations such as the port and airport as well as at the main crossing points to Senegal.

[40] President of Ghana Nana Akufo-Addo stated in mid-February that the number of Ghanaian soldiers deployed for stabilisation of Gambia will be downsized to 50.

[41] On 21 April 2017, ECOWAS forces clashed with Gambian soldiers loyal to former leader Yahya Jammeh, shooting and injuring three who were guarding graves at his home.