Unholy Assault: Gunmen’s Attack Shakes Burkina Faso, Scores Dead in Mosque-Church Tragedy
Scores of worshippers have reportedly been killed in attacks at a mosque and a Catholic Church in Burkina Faso.
Reports obtained by Ejes Gist News reveal that armed individuals stormed a mosque located in Eastern Burkina Faso on Sunday, killing dozens of people.
According to AFP, security sources in the region confirmed the attack, stating, “Armed individuals attacked a mosque in Natiaboani on Sunday around 5:00 am, resulting in several dozen being killed.”
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“A local resident also said, ‘The victims were all Muslims, most of them men who had come for the morning prayer.’”
The village of Essakane was specifically targeted by the assailants, resulting in the death of 12 individuals at the scene. Furthermore, three others unfortunately passed away while receiving medical treatment for their injuries, and two individuals reportedly sustained varying degrees of injury during the assault.
In addition to the mosque incident, reports reveal that the gunmen also attacked a community as they gathered for prayers in the northern village of Essakane.
Al Jazeera quoted a church official saying that at least 15 Catholic worshippers were killed in a Burkina Faso village when the gunmen attacked.
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The vicar-general of the Catholic Diocese of Dori, Abbot Jean-Pierre Sawadogo, released a statement confirming that the tragic incident in the village of Essakane on Sunday was indeed a “terrorist attack.”
The attack resulted in the death of 12 individuals at the scene, while three others succumbed to their injuries during treatment. Additionally, two individuals were wounded in the assault.
At present, no group has claimed responsibility for the shooting, Ejes Gist News understands.
“In this painful circumstance, we invite you to pray for the rest in God for those who have died in faith, for the healing of the wounded, and for the conversion of those who continue to sow death and desolation in our country,” Sawadogo said in a statement.
The shooting incident occurred in a region where various armed groups have carried out multiple attacks, some targeting Christian churches, while others involved the abduction of clergy.
Approximately half of Burkina Faso remains beyond government control due to years of devastation caused by armed groups.
These fighters have caused the deaths of thousands and displaced over two million people, posing a significant threat to the nation’s stability, which has already experienced two coups in 2022.
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The military rulers of the country have faced challenges in restoring peace in areas plagued by violence since the initial coup in January 2022. The number of casualties from attacks by armed groups has nearly tripled compared to the previous 18 months, as reported by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies in August 2023.
Furthermore, the security situation has been exacerbated by the country’s porous borders with Mali and Niger, both of which are also under military rule and grappling with security crises, Ejes Gist News reports.
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