Burkina Faso: drone strikes suspected of causing civilian deaths
Burkina Faso is now equipped with armed drones, of Turkish construction: the Bayraktar TB2.
(illustrative image) © Bayhaluk/wikimedia.org
Text by: RFI Follow
1 min
Several sources have told RFI that civilians have been killed by drone strikes in recent months.
Burkina Faso is now equipped with armed drones, of Turkish construction: the Bayraktar TB2.
They had been ordered in 2021 by the government of Roch Marc Christian Kaboré.
These drones have been operational since January and have already struck.
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It was in Béléhédé, in Soum, in the north of the country, that the first suspicions of a blunder linked to a drone strike were raised.
On February 28, around thirty traders were killed in the bombardment of a cattle market.
In a report published in May, Human Rights Watch recounts the event.
“
A witness heard a whistle coming from the south of the village before the explosion,
can we read.
Two others say they did not see or hear any helicopters or planes.
»
According to a security analyst, several testimonies on the spot are consistent with a drone strike.
►
To read also: Burkina Faso begins to fly Turkish-made armed drones
These aircraft are also suspected of being responsible for the death of civilians in Kompienga, in the east of the country.
On the night of May 11 to 12, a concession was destroyed in Fawargou, then at dawn on August 1, the village of Pognoa-Sankoado was bombarded.
On the spot, the inhabitants speak of about thirty victims, especially women.
A few days later, in a press release, the Burkinabè general staff acknowledges that "
strikes have inadvertently caused collateral victims
", without specifying their origin.
A source familiar with the matter says it was drone fire.
An investigation has been opened.
Contacted by RFI, the Burkinabè staff did not wish to comment.
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