Saturday’s attack followed last Monday’s in Djibouti, a major town in northern Burkina Faso that has been under siege by jihadists for three months, in which 10 soldiers were killed and around 50 others wounded.
Thirteen soldiers and two civilians, auxiliaries of the armed forces, were killed yesterday Saturday in an ambush attributed to jihadists in eastern Burkina Faso, the general staff announced yesterday Sunday.
The day before yesterday “Saturday October 29, a unit of the military detachment of Natiaboani and a group of VDP (s.s. Volontaires pour la défense de la patrie, “Volunteers for the defense of the homeland”, paramilitaries), who were returning from a supply mission to Fada N’Goutma , were attacked by a group of terrorists at the height of Kikindeni”, in the eastern part of the country, the general staff said.
“The fighting unfortunately claimed the lives of 15 militants, 13 military personnel and two VDPs. Four wounded (three military, one VDP) were also recorded, while 11 people are still being sought,” he clarified.
“Deployed reinforcements are currently conducting clearance operations and searches in the area,” according to the same source.
Sources close to the security forces told AFP earlier yesterday that “several terrorists were neutralized” (i.e. killed).
Saturday’s attack followed last Monday’s in Djibouti, a major town in northern Burkina Faso that has been under siege by jihadists for three months, in which 10 soldiers were killed and around 50 others wounded.
Since 2015, the African country’s military has come under increasingly frequent and deadly attacks by jihadists. The action of organizations that pledge allegiance to either al-Qaeda or the Islamic State has claimed the lives of thousands of people, while uprooting some two million residents over the past seven years.
Their attacks have multiplied in recent months, above all in the northern and eastern sectors of Burkina Faso.
The new attack came about a month after the September 30 military coup, led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré, that ousted Lt. Col. Paul Henri Santogo Damiba. It was the second military coup in Burkina Faso in eight months, with the coup plotters citing the worsening security situation both times. Captain Traore, who was named interim president on October 21, assures that the goal of the new military regime “is nothing but the recovery of the territories occupied by the hordes of terrorists.”
Last Tuesday, the new military regime announced that it had begun recruiting 50,000 VDPs, who “will strengthen the ranks of the army in the fight against terrorism.”
RES-EMP
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I am currently a news writer for News Bulletin247 where I mostly cover sports news. I have always been interested in writing and it is something I am very passionate about. In my spare time, I enjoy reading and spending time with my family and friends.
