At least 35 civilians were killed and 37 others injured Monday, September 5 when an improvised device exploded as a supply convoy passed through northern Burkina Faso, between Djibo and Bourzanga, said the governor of the Sahel region.
“One of the vehicles transporting civilians in the said convoy exploded on contact with an improvised explosive device.
The provisional toll at 5:00 p.m.
(GMT and local) reported
35 dead and 37 injured, all civilians
,” said the governor’s press release.
These convoys, escorted by the army, supply towns in the north subject to a blockade by jihadist groups.
“The escort elements quickly secured the perimeter and took measures to provide assistance to the victims.
The wounded were taken care of and the difficult cases evacuated to appropriate structures”
, continues the press release which indicated that the convoy was leaving the north of the country to go to the capital Ouagadougou.
“The supply convoy was made up of civilian drivers and traders
,” a security source told AFP.
Thousands dead, millions displaced
In early August, fifteen soldiers were killed on the same Djibo-Bourzanga axis in a double improvised explosive device attack.
In recent weeks, jihadist groups have used dynamite to destroy places located on the main axes leading to the two major cities in northern Burkina, Dori and Djibo, in an attempt to isolate them.
Burkina Faso, where soldiers took power in January promising to make the fight against jihadists their priority, is confronted like several neighboring countries with the violence of armed movements affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group, which since 2015 have caused thousands of deaths and some two million displaced persons.
More than 40% of Burkina's territory is outside state control, according to official figures, and attacks have increased since the start of the year.
