New York, 28 May 2022 (TDI): UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the brutal killing of fifty people by an extremist armed group in eastern Burkina Faso. He shared his remarks on Twitter.
In addition, he extended full support to Burkina Faso to eradicate extremism, violence, and terrorism in the country and ensure civilians’ protection.
According to the official sources, the killing took place on 25 May in Madjoari by an extremist armed group. Earlier in May, two similar attacks on 14 and 19 May took place in Madjoari. The attacks resulted in the death of seventeen civilians and eleven military workers, respectively.
According to sources, unknown militant groups attacked the victims near Benin and Togo borders. The Secretary-General strongly condemned the act and shared his condolence to the bereaved families, said the Spokesperson to Stéphane Dujarric.
At the same time, the Secretary-General has called on the Burkinabe authorities to spare no effort in identification and bringing the perpetrators to justice.
Extremism in Burkina Faso
Currently, the Horns of Africa are in a rift of extremism, violence, and internal conflicts. Each year, thousands of lives are lost due to extremist activities by non-state actors. Earlier, eight soldiers were killed, and thirteen were wounded in Northern Togo during a first deadly raid by Islamist militants.
According to the official statement by Colonel Hubert Yameogo, the residents of Madjoari were under blockade by Islamic militants. When trying to leave the locality, these residents were targeted near a bridge by “unidentified individuals.” Moreover, desperate and needy trapped inhabitants have faced this situation for a week.
The recent attack has been declared the deadliest since one perpetrated in 2021 in Solhan and claimed the lives of 132 people. Subsequently, the governor of the easter region has assured that security actions are underway to restore peace in the area.
While expressing his views on Twitter, 11,075 civilians during twelve armed conflicts. HE emphasized the importance of ensuring the protection of civilians during all times.
