A total of 35 civilians were killed on Thursday in an attack allegedly carried out by jihadists in the west Burkina Fasoas announced on Saturday by the governor in Bukl district of Muhun province.
“On the evening of Thursday, May 11, around 5:00 p.m [σ.σ. τοπική ώρα· 20:00 ώρα Ελλάδας]Yulu Village, Cheriba District, Muhun Province, suffered a brazen and barbaric attack by terrorists”said the official, Babo Pierre Bashiga.
“Guns targeted peaceful citizens” who were engaged in agricultural work along the river bank, Mr. Bashiga continued, clarifying that the still “provisional” tally of victims “speaks to 33 dead”.
Sources in the area confirmed the attack by unknown persons, “heavily armed” who moved “on motorcycles”who opened fire on fruit and vegetable growers “indiscriminately”, clarifying that the victims were buried the day before Friday.
Residents of Cheriba they also reported at least three gunshot wounds. They also talked about burning of fields and food warehouses before the departure of the perpetrators of the massacre.
According to Governor Bashiga, “operations are underway to restore security” in the area.
The official demanded that residents “redouble their vigilance” and “continue to cooperate with the forces fighting for the total victory over terrorism and the definitive return of peace and security to the region.”
Burkina Faso, which became the scene of two military coups in 2022, has been facing since 2015 the escalating violence of jihadist groups that emerged in Mali and Niger a few years earlier, before their activities spread.
The violence of these organizations, which pledge allegiance to either Al-Qaeda or the Islamic State, has claimed the lives of over 10,000 people – civilians and soldiers – in total, according to NGOs, while uprooting some two and a half million civilians, who they became internally displaced.
The state of emergency imposed in March in eight of the country’s thirteen regions was extended on Friday for another six months by the transitional parliament.
In mid-April, Burkina Faso’s transitional authorities declared “general mobilization” in order to “give the state all the necessary means” to deal with jihadist activity.
Source: News Beast
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