Around 30 people were killed over the weekend in Burkina Faso in two separate attacks by suspected jihadists who targeted civilians in the north and northwest of the country, AFP learned from security sources and local.
During the night from Sunday to Monday, "
armed individuals attacked the civilian populations of Bourasso, a locality located near Dédougou
", capital of the province of Kossi, said a security source.
"
There are about fifteen victims (dead), men, women and children, according to a provisional report
," added this source.
A local source, contacted by AFP, confirmed the attack, referring to his side "
twenty dead
".
“
The armed individuals first walked around the village around 5:00 p.m. (GMT and local time) firing shots in the air.
They came back later in the night and opened fire indiscriminately on the population
,” explained this resident.
Read alsoIn Burkina Faso, the frenetic spiral of violence
On Saturday, another deadly attack also took place, in Namissiguima, in the province of Yatenga (north), according to another security source.
"
The toll of this attack is 12 dead, including three volunteers for the defense of the homeland (VDP)
", civilian auxiliaries who fight alongside the army, said this source, also referring to waves of population displacements since sunday.
Burkina Faso has been caught in a spiral of violence since 2015, attributed to armed jihadist movements affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group, which have left thousands dead and 1.9 million displaced.
More than 40% of the territory is outside state control, according to official figures.
At the end of January, Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba overthrew President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, accused of having been unable to stem jihadist violence, and made restoring security his "
priority
".
But the security situation in Burkina has not improved, as the country is still regularly targeted by deadly attacks.
In mid-June, 86 civilians were killed by jihadists in Seytenga (north), one of the worst killings in the country's history.
This attack prompted the authorities to create two "
zones of military interest
", where "
all human presence is prohibited
and where the army intends to carry out operations against the jihadists, in the north and east of the country, the regions most targeted by the attacks.
The transition period before civilians return to power has been set at three years by the Burkinabe authorities, a period deemed necessary to try to curb jihadist attacks.