At Least 11 Civilians Killed by Jihadists in Burkina: Locals

At least 11 civilians, mostly volunteer militia fighters aiding the army, have been killed by jihadists in northern Burkina Faso, locals and security officials told AFP on Thursday.

The attack on Wednesday was claimed by the Al-Qaeda-linked Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), which said it had “taken control of a military post belonging to the Burkinabe militias”, without providing details.

“Yesterday at around 3:00 pm (1500 GMT), heavily armed terrorists on motorcycles carried out an attack in the town of Bagare,” in the northern province of Passore, a local resident said.

“The gunfire lasted over an hour, and the terrorists set fire to dozens of shops, vehicles, and motorcycles,” they added.

“The damage is significant, but we especially mourn the loss of life among the VDP, who were directly targeted by the attackers,” said another resident, in reference to the Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland.

The resident said the death toll was “provisional“.

The military junta of Ibrahim Traore, who seized power in 2022, has recruited thousands of civilian auxiliaries (VDPs) to help the army combat armed groups affiliated to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group.

They are particularly active in the northern half of the West African country.

“The VPD post was indeed targeted by the jihadists, but the counter-attack succeeded in routing the enemy,” a regional security source said, without providing details.

One resident said people from surrounding villages that had already been overrun by jihadists had sought refuge in Bagare, before it was attacked on Wednesday.

“We want reinforcements to secure the town. Otherwise, we’ll be driven out, and we’ll all end up in Yako (the provincial capital) or Ouagadougou,” he said.

On Tuesday, the government launched a military operation aimed at boosting security across Burkina.

It also tightened security in the capital, Ouagadougou.

The moves came after jihadists and Tuareg separatists carried out coordinated attacks in neighbouring, junta-ruled Mali.