Burkina Faso: the Riverstone Karma mine in the North targeted by an attack
Burkinabe gendarmes sitting on their vehicle in the city of in the north of the country, in October 2018. (illustrative image) AFP - ISSOUF SANOGO
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In Burkina Faso, the industrial mine Riverstone Karma, located in Namissiguima, in the North region, was targeted by an attack Thursday, June 9 in the early morning.
Armed men launched an assault on the mine around 4:30 a.m. local time.
According to security sources, two people, including a civilian and a soldier, were killed during the attack, as well as several people injured and vehicles burned.
All mine personnel were evacuated.
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With our correspondent in Ouagadougou,
Yaya Boudani
The attackers, according to a source within the mine, were able to cross all the barriers, despite the important security device and the base camp of the employees was targeted by the shots.
"
An air intervention by the defense and security forces destroyed a vehicle in which ten terrorists were trying to flee
," said a security source.
Several terrorists on motorcycles were also neutralized, adds the same source.
All mine employees were evacuated to Ouahigouya.
"
They are followed by a psychologist, because they suffered a shock related to the violence of the attack
", specifies a source on the spot.
Riverstone Karma has decided to suspend its operations to concentrate its efforts on securing all the workers and the site, underline the managers of the Néré mining group in a press release.
Several facts, including numerous incursions by armed men into the perimeter of the mine's operating permit, prompted Néré Mining officials to alert the authorities to these threats.
Faced with the situation, mining operators are worried and are calling on the transitional government to
secure
mining sites.
►
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Burkina Faso
Terrorism