Burkina Faso: 13 soldiers killed in an ambush in the east of the country
A Burkinabe soldier in Dori, February 3, 2020. (illustrative image) AFP - OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT
Text by: RFI Follow
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According to a press release from the armed forces, published on Monday March 21, 2022, the attack took place on Sunday about twenty kilometers from Natiaboani, a town south of Fada N'Gourma.
The soldiers fell into an ambush while conducting a security operation.
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The targeted unit was trying to secure access
to the town of Pama
, capital of the province of Kompienga.
"
The objective of this operation was to allow people to move freely and carry out their activities
", explains a source close to the Ministry of the Armed Forces.
The soldiers then fell into an ambush.
Heavy fire was exchanged, until the intervention of air reinforcement.
The Burkinabè have the means since they have several combat helicopters and a few light attack planes.
Frequent attacks
This ambush took place next to the Pama reserve, an extremely dangerous forest area.
It has been the scene of very intense terrorist activity for about two years.
It was in this region that
two Spanish journalists and an Irishman were killed
last year while accompanying a mixed patrol of soldiers and water and forest agents.
On the border with Benin and Togo, the Pama reserve is today considered by the military of the entire sub-region as one of the most sensitive areas.
In these cross-border forests, incidents are on the increase.
In early November, a post of the Togolese armed forces was attacked there.
In February, nine people were killed in the W park in northern Benin, during three homemade bomb attacks.
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Burkina Faso
Terrorism