Around 170 individuals were “put to death” in assaults on three villages located in the north of Burkina Faso approximately one week ago, according to a regional prosecutor. This rise in extremist violence comes amidst political change in the country ruled by a junta.
On February 25th, separate incidents on a mosque in eastern Burkina and a Catholic church in the north resulted in the deaths of numerous individuals.
According to Aly Benjamin Coulibaly, there have been reports of attacks on the villages of Komsilga, Nodin, and Soroe in Yatenga province. The preliminary toll indicates that about 170 people were killed.
The prosecutor in charge of Ouahigouya, a town in the northern region, stated that there were injuries and destruction caused by unknown parties. An investigation has been ordered and the public is encouraged to provide any relevant information.
Numerous individuals who survived the attacks reported that a large number of women and young children were included among the casualties.
According to sources within the community, the attacks that occurred on the same day at a mosque in Natiaboani and a church in Essakane were not related to other deadly incidents.
At this time, the authorities have not provided an official count of the casualties from the attacks. However, a high-ranking member of the church stated that at least 15 innocent individuals lost their lives in Essakane.
Since 2015, Burkina Faso has been dealing with a conflict against jihadists who are linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. The conflict originated in Mali and has now spread to Burkina Faso.
There have been almost 20,000 fatalities and over 2 million people forced to leave their homes due to violence in Burkina Faso, a country located in the impoverished region of Sahel that is plagued by instability.
In two military coups in 2022, frustration towards the government’s inability to improve security was a major factor. The current leader, President Ibrahim Traoré, has placed great emphasis on addressing rebel forces.
On 25 February, numerous assaults occurred, including ones on a military outpost in Tankoualou located in the eastern region, a quick response battalion in Kongoussi situated in the northern region, and army personnel in the northern area of Ouahigouya.
Security sources reported that the military and members of the Volunteers for the Defense of the Fatherland (VDP) took action in response, successfully countering and eliminating hundreds of terrorists.
Earlier this week, Mahamadou Sana, the security minister, characterized the recent series of attacks as “coordinated”.
Sana stated, “The enemy’s method of attack has been altered due to the elimination of terrorist bases and training facilities, as well as efforts to cut off their source of funding and supply routes.”
Jihadists have previously been responsible for targeting and attacking mosques and imams.
At times, Christians in Burkina Faso have been abducted and churches have also been specifically targeted.
According to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, the number of fatalities from conflicts in January totaled 439.
Source: theguardian.com
