Burkina: more than thirty dead after the explosion of an artisanal mine in the north of the country

Location of Djibo, Burkina Faso.

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Thirty-five dead and 37 injured is the provisional toll of the explosion of an artisanal mine in the Sahel region of northern Burkina Faso.

The machine was hit by a convoy coming from the town of Djibo, to go to the South, to Ouagadougou.

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The tragedy occurred on the road between Djibo and Bourzanga, in broad daylight according to a press release from the governor of the Sahel region, Lieutenant-Colonel Rodolphe Sorgho.

A convoy of several vehicles, escorted by soldiers, drove over an artisanal mine.

It was a bus full of civilians that hit the explosive device.

The toll could still increase since several seriously injured were "

 evacuated to appropriate structures

 ".

Sources in Ouagadougou learn this Tuesday morning that some have arrived in the capital.

Refueling

This convoy had to carry out a supply, because for several months,

the town of Djibo

and others undergo a blockade on behalf of the terrorists.

Gunmen recently

destroyed bridges and infrastructure

to isolate them.

There has been no telecommunications for weeks either.

To supply the towns with food, water and fuel, the army therefore escorts convoys of vehicles to Ouagadougou.

And people sometimes take advantage of these caravans to leave the city.

This explains why the victims are all civilians. 

►Also read

: Burkina Faso: President Damiba takes stock of the last months of the fight against terrorism

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  • Burkina Faso

  • Terrorism