Suspected Jihadists Kill Hundreds Of Civilians In Attack On Burkina Faso
Suspected jihadists targeted a group of civilians who were digging trenches to protect their town from potential attacks.
A devastating attack on Saturday in north-central Burkina Faso resulted in the loss of hundreds of lives.
Suspected jihadists targeted a group of civilians who were digging trenches to protect their town from potential attacks.
According to Reuters, this assault near Barsalogho is one of the deadliest in recent years, since extremist groups affiliated with al Qaeda and Islamic State entered Burkina Faso from Mali nearly a decade ago.
The incident highlights the ongoing security crisis that has plagued the country, leading to two military coups in 2022.
The ruling junta has denounced the violence, but the exact number of casualties remains undisclosed.
Hundreds of injured individuals were rushed to medical facilities in Kaya, located 40 kilometers south. A confidential source, fearing retribution, estimated the death toll could surpass 500.
According to the source, Burkina Faso troops had forced residents of Barsalogho to cease daily activities and dig trenches around the town to prevent insurgent attacks.
Many were working outdoors when suspected jihadists launched the assault. The source, citing accounts from multiple injured victims in Kaya, described the scene as ‘carnage.’
Gunmen also targeted women collecting firewood in the vicinity.
Relatives of Barsalogho residents in Ouagadougou released a joint statement on Sunday, reporting a death toll of at least 400, with hundreds more hospitalized in Kaya and Ouagadougou.
However, Reuters has not independently verified this figure.
The statement also alleged that the army forced residents to dig trenches and beat those perceived as supporting the authorities in an area plagued by insurgent violence.
Junta spokesman Jean Emmanuel Ouedraogo visited hospitalized survivors in Kaya and Barsalogho, offering condolences and promising government support for medical expenses and humanitarian aid.
He described the attack as targeting people engaged in “community work.”
In response, civil society groups in Kaya organized blood donations, and the local diocese declared a day of mourning on Wednesday.
The U.S. Embassy in Ouagadougou condemned the attack as a terrorist act.
Despite the severity of the attack, no group has yet claimed official responsibility for the violence.
However, Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), an al Qaeda affiliate, reported capturing a suspected army headquarters in Barsalogho on August 24, suggesting a possible connection to the recent violence.
Suspected jihadists kill hundreds in Burkina Faso attack
