On Monday, Burkina Faso authorities reported at least 50 death resulting from an allegedly jihadist attack.
Lionel Bilgo, Burkina Faso Government spokesperson, announced on Monday that 50 people died from the attack reportedly carried out by jihadists in a village in the north of the country.
After the Saturday night’s attack of the Seytenga village, “the army has so far found 50 bodies,” said Bilgo, suggesting that the toll might increase. According to a Reuters security source, the death toll is more than 100.
The UN released a statement on Monday, condemning the event that “claimed many victims.” The report urged the country’s authorities to take responsibility for such a massacre to justice. Last week, Seytenga was the scenario of bloody fighting.
On Thursday, eleven gendarmes were killed, which unleashed a military operation, resulting in the deaths of around 40 jihadists, according to the army’s statements. “The bloodshed was caused by reprisals to the army’s actions,” said the spokesperson. “The country has been hit, but the army is doing its job.”
After a seven-year-old jihadist insurgency, Sahel has lost more than 2000 people and displaced more than 1.9 million people. Those attacks have been centered on Burkina Faso’s north and east.