Insurgents Kill Many In Burkina Faso

Many people have been killed in last week’s attack in northern Burkina Faso, a region that has high Jihadist insurgent activity, local residents said.

On Thursday, “a group of terrorists” attacked the village of Aorema, near the town of Ouahigouya, one of the locals told AFP. The attack was confirmed by a security source, who did not give a specific toll.

“The attackers opened fire on a group of young people” sitting at an informal restaurant, one inhabitant said.

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“Seven died on the spot and three died in their homes where they were hit by stray rounds. Two other people died of wounds,” the source said.

Another inhabitant said the toll rose to 14 from others who subsequently died of wounds.

The source said that “the terrorists” had previously made incursions into the village and warned youngsters not to gather at the restaurant.

A source in the security forces who confirmed the attack said “operations were underway” against the assailants.

The day after the attack, the authorities placed the North region, and also parts of the centre-east region, under a 10 pm to 5 am curfew until March 31.

More than 10,000 people have lost their lives in Burkina Faso since jihadists swept in from neighbouring Mali in 2015, more than two million people have fled their homes and at least a third of the country is controlled by the insurgents.