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After the death of two soldiers from a patrol unit, killed by an explosive device on the axis Ouahigouya – Gomboro, in the north of Burkina Faso, on Saturday, at least ten civilians were killed in the explosion of their vehicle caused by a mine in the east of the country.
At least ten passengers on a bus were killed in the explosion of their vehicle, Sunday December 25, caused by a mine in the east of the Burkina Fasosaid Monday, the governor of this border region of Niger.
“In the followingnoon of December 25, 2022, a public transport mini-bus hit a mine on the Fada N’Gourma – Kantchari axis, near the village of Bougui. Unfortunately the explosion caused the death of ten passengers and injured five”, admitted to the hospital in Fada N’Gourma, the capital of the region, according to the statement by Colonel Hubert Yameogo. The balance sheet might however increase since “other passengers would be missing”, he specified.
A security source contacted by AFP confirmed the attack “with an improvised explosive device” and confirmed the death toll of “ten civilians”. Local sources joined to Fada N’Gourma also confirmed the incident and this assessment.
“The bus had left Matiakoali for Fada N’Gourma. The victims are mainly women and children,” said a resident whose cousin died in the incident.
On Saturday, two soldiers from a patrol unit were killed by an explosive device on the Ouahigouya – Gomboro axis, in the north of the country, according to a security source.
Multiplication of jihadist attacks
Since 2015, Burkina Faso is regularly bereaved by jihadist attacks that killed thousands and forced some two million people to flee their homes. These attacks by groups linked to the Islamic State organization and Al-Qaeda targeting soldiers and civilians have multiplied in recent months, mainly in the north and east of the country.
Captain Ibrahim Traoré, transitional president resulting from a military coup on September 30 – the second in eight months – has set himself the objective of “recapturing the territory occupied by these hordes of terrorists”.
Between December 1 and 10, 39 “terrorists” were killed during an anti-jihadist operation carried out in northwestern Burkina Faso, according to the army.
With AFP
