An attack by a militia group linked to Al Qaeda JNIM (Jamaa’at Nusrat al-islam wal Muslimeen ) in Burkinabe town of barsologho in Burkina Farso has claimed 200 lives while 100 injured.
women and children among those who were killed. In videos posted by the JNIM in their social media bodies were seen lying in trenches alongside shovels.
According to sources, the people were helping the military in undertaking a trench digging exercise which was meant to deter movement of the militia troops into the town as instructed by local authorities an exercise that had began on Saturday before the militia attacked them .
The militia group JNIM are said to have ceased weapons and a military ambulance.
Despite the significant resources committed by the Burkina Bay government to fight terrorism in the country, Burkina Faso has been grappling with insurgency and terrorism over the past years.
According to the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) report of 2023 the Sahel region which Burkina Faso is a part of was the most impacted region representing 43% of global terrorism related deaths.
“The epicenter of terrorism has shifted out of the Middle East and into the Central Sahel region of sub-Saharan Africa, which now accounts for over half of all deaths from terrorism.” with “Burkina Faso suffered the worst impact from terrorism, with deaths increasing by 68% despite attacks decreasing by 17%.” it stated in it’s 2024 report.
The African Counter Terrorism Meeting held from 22nd – 24th April 2024 in Abuja Nigeria with the aim of strengthening Regional cooperation and eradicating terrorism in Africa .
The UN – Deputy Secretary General Amina J. Mohammed in her speech stated “The situation in Africa, particularly in the Sahel, is dire, with some of the most violent terrorists groups operating in the Sahel; the region now accounting for almost half of all deaths from terrorism globally.”
“A major factor that has fueled the rise in insurgency in the Sahel is organized crime, particularly the proliferation and smuggling of firearms across our porous borders. The availability of weapons empowers terrorist groups, often better equipped with the latest technology.” she added.
The military government in Burkina Faso that seized power from the civilian government continues to grapple with insecurity with about 50% of the government territory under militia control despite massive recruitment of paramilitary volunteers who according to analysts receive minimal training and have no combat experience .
