In a devastating armed attack in Burkina Faso, over 200 people have lost their lives, and more than 150 have been injured. The armed group Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), which is linked to al-Qaeda, has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The incident occurred on Saturday in the Barsalogho region, approximately 40 kilometers (about 25 miles) north of the strategically important town of Kaya in Burkina Faso.
Reports indicate that the gunmen opened fire indiscriminately on people who were involved in digging trenches to ensure the safety of security forces. Several soldiers have been reported missing since the attack, and the assailants made off with weapons and a military ambulance belonging to the security forces.
Nicolas Haque of Al Jazeera, reporting from Dakar, Senegal, shared that JNIM released a horrifying video documenting the aftermath of the attack.
In the video, men, women, and children are seen lying in the trenches they had dug for their protection, which had turned into a mass grave. Haque also mentioned that doctors, nurses, and other medical staff were brought in from the town of Kaya to treat the wounded at local hospitals.
Nearly half of Burkina Faso’s territory is under the control of armed groups linked to al-Qaeda. Nicolas Haque added that Burkina Faso’s military had received intelligence of a possible attack last Friday, prompting them to instruct local residents to dig trenches for protection.