In the spotlight: new deadly attack in eastern Burkina Faso

Audio 04:12

The ambush took place on the road between Fada Ngourma and Pama, in eastern Burkina Faso.

© Google Maps

By: Frédéric Couteau Follow

9 mins

Publicity

The research was tedious for the Burkinabé security forces," reports

Le Monde Afrique.

, as insecurity reigns, in eastern Burkina Faso, on the axis connecting the towns of Fada and Pama, surrounded by terrorist groups.

Yesterday, the bodies of three Westerners - two Spaniards and an Irishman - who disappeared Monday after an attack in the area, were finally found dead in the bush, riddled with bullets.

Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Lara has confirmed the deaths of two nationals: journalists David Beriain, 43, and Roberto Fraile, 47.

The duo were making a documentary on the fight against poaching in the region and following a patrol made up of soldiers, foresters and trainers from the American NGO Chengeta Wildlife.

Irishman Rory Young, president and co-founder of the NGO, was also killed in the attack.

 "

Aware of the risks?

Le Pays

 à Ouagadougou recalls that this “eastern 

region has been known to be an area of ​​insecurity for several years. So much so that many villages have emptied of their inhabitants and several schools have been closed.

 "And the Burkinabé daily asked:"

 Wasn't it very risky for expatriates, in this case Westerners, to venture into such a region, especially in these days when the skin is white, failing to constitute a market value, could the terrorists who believe they are in conquered territory repel?

 "

Admittedly, completes the daily newspaper

Today

, “ 

one could soliloquize on what these men were doing in such an entrenched corner of Burkina Faso, and above all reputed to be a den for bandits and terrorists of all stripes. To venture there, even under protection as was the case for the 3 killed, seems perilous. (…) But they were journalists, exclaims the Ouagalan daily. This profession is steeped in temerity, in belief in principles and in their defense, sometimes at the risk of the breath of life. They were undoubtedly aware of the risks involved in venturing into these poisonous snake refuges that parts of Burkina Faso have become. Unfortunately, barbarism has taken over common sense and humanity. 

"

Chad: the police fired on the demonstrators

Also on the front page, yesterday's violent repression in Chad.

“ 

Walking through the main arteries of the capital, N'Djamena, reports the

Tachad

news

site

, yesterday morning hundreds of young people defied the formal ban on demonstrations by the Transitional Military Council.

Very quickly overwhelmed, the national police were reinforced by soldiers who used live ammunition on the demonstrators.

According to the leaders of the movement against the military transition, reports the Chadian site, the death toll is 7 in N'Djamena and 2 in Moundou

.

"

Déby father and son: same methods?

Ledjely 

in Guinea does not mince his words: “ 

with this brutal repression, the Transitional Military Council is unworthy of the confidence that the international community seemed to have placed in it.

Indeed, he confirms by this that between Déby father and Déby son, the drift of the regime remains the same.

And we finally understand that France through the voice of Emmanuel Macron and the African Union through that of Felix Tshisekedi are raising their voice against the Chadian junta.

It was time for this international community to wake up,

exclaims

Ledjely, and realize all the risks to which it exposes Chad and the African continent by sponsoring a junta whose members only have a certain Marshal Idriss Deby Itno for reference.

 "

An awakening of the peoples?

Finally, to read in

Le Point Afrique

, this column signed by several African intellectuals: "

 the events in Chad call for the “awakening” of the people, for the rapid start of Africans and African institutions for a renewal of political practices and for the safeguard of the common good, par excellence, which is the democratic exercise. The gathering of youth movements, political parties, different social bodies, in an honest dialogue, to rebuild the bases + of a nation-state +, is necessary, say the authors of the forum, to avoid a great + African spring. which could cause a general conflagration of a good part of the continent, with populations at the end of patience. Any attack on democracy risks only leading to… revolt!

 "

Newsletter

Receive all international news directly in your mailbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

google-play-badge_FR

  • Burkina Faso

  • Terrorism

  • Chad