Burkina Faso: at least 73 dead in an attack in the east of the country claimed by Jnim

2024-04-03T14:32:45.769Z

Highlights: In Burkina Faso, at least 70 people were killed in Tawori, in the east of the country. The attack took place on Sunday March 31 and was claimed by Jnim (Support Group for Islam and Muslims), a terrorist organization linked to al-Qaeda. Among the victims, dozens of civilians, but also soldiers and Volunteers for the Defense of the Fatherland. For the moment, no communication from the Burkinabe transitional authorities has been made regarding the massacre, according to a security source.

In Burkina Faso, at least 70 people were killed in Tawori, in the east of the country. The attack took place on Sunday March 31 and was claimed by the Jnim (Support Group for Islam and Muslims),…

Burkina Faso: at least 73 dead in an attack in the east of the country claimed by Jnim

In Burkina Faso, at least 70 people were killed in Tawori, in the east of the country. The attack took place on Sunday March 31 and was claimed by Jnim (Support Group for Islam and Muslims), a terrorist organization linked to al-Qaeda. Among the victims, dozens of civilians, but also soldiers and Volunteers for the Defense of the Fatherland.

Burkinabè soldiers on patrol, in 2020. (Illustrative image). © OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP

By: RFI Follow

According to information collected this Wednesday April 3 by RFI, this is the detachment based in Tawori, in the province of Tapoa, in the east of

Burkina Faso

, which was stormed by armed men on Sunday March 31 . According to testimonies, the latter arrived with 200 motorcycles in the afternoon after 4 p.m. The fighting lasted a good hour before the attackers completely took the camp.

They stayed two more hours in the village, looting the residents' property and the arsenal of the defense and security forces, before hitting the road again, leaving behind a

heavy death toll

: at least 73 people killed, including 32 civilians, 16 FDS (Defence and Security Forces) and 25 VDP (Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland) auxiliaries, according to a Burkinabe security source.

Video of military prisoners

Soldiers

are still missing

. At least two of them are in the hands of the Jnim (Support Group for Islam and Muslims), which claimed responsibility for the attack. They appear in front of the camera in a video broadcast by the jihadists, their hands chained and calling for help, visibly under the duress of their jailers.

The same security source also confides that an attack took place on the Boungou gold site, four kilometers further. For the moment, no communication from the Burkinabe transitional authorities has been made regarding the massacre.

Read alsoBurkina Faso: voices are being raised to demand respect for the provisions of the Constitution

Burkina Faso: at least 73 dead in an attack in the east of the country claimed by Jnim

Burkina Faso: at least 73 dead in an attack in the east of the country claimed by Jnim

Video of military prisoners

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