suspected jihadists kill at least 20 people in the north of the country

At least 19 gendarmes and a civilian were killed Sunday (November 14) in an attack by suspected jihadists in Inata, northern Burkina Faso, the army and government said. “Around 5:30 am, the gendarmerie detachment from Inata […] was the subject of a terrorist attack ”, indicated the staff of the armies in a press release. “We have as a provisional assessment 20 deceased, including a civilian”, said the Minister of Security, Maxime Koné, on national radio.

The minister said that the gendarmes attacked “Resisted and fought bravely” and “Survivors have been found”. “The operations are still in progress and the research work” possible other survivors and attackers continued Sunday evening, he added.

According to a security source, the attack, which occurred in Soum province (Sahel region), was carried out by “A significant number of armed individuals” circulating “Aboard several pick-ups and motorcycles”. He evoked “Long exchanges of fire” between the attackers and the gendarmes. This attack is one of the deadliest against the Burkinabe defense and security forces since the country faced jihadist actions six years ago.

Another attack took place on Sunday morning in Kelbo, a town in the same province of Soum, said communication minister and government spokesman Ousséni Tamboura. “Fortunately, this attack was repelled by the soldiers, helped by the Volunteers for the defense of the homeland [VDP, des supplétifs civils engagés dans la lutte antidjihadiste aux côtés des forces de défense et de sécurité], without making a victim ”, he said.

Seven police officers killed on Friday in Alkoma

A local elected official contacted by AFP spoke of helicopter overflights in the area “Since Sunday morning”, claiming that the day before “Two civilians were killed by an explosive device” in the province of Soum. On Friday, seven police officers were killed and five wounded in an attack in Alkoma, in the neighboring province of Séno (northeast), according to the general direction of the police.

Burkina Faso has been facing regular and deadly jihadist attacks since 2015, particularly in the northern and eastern regions, in the so-called “three borders” area, on the borders of Mali and Niger, two countries also facing terrorist operations. The violence, sometimes mixed with intercommunal clashes, has left around 2,000 dead and forced 1.4 million people to flee their homes.

On Tuesday, the Burkinabe opposition demanded “Urgent measures” in front of the “Deterioration of the security situation” after the upsurge in jihadist attacks, threatening to take to the streets to demand the “Immediate resignation of the head of state”, Roch Marc Christian Kaboré. The president had put the fight against terrorism at the heart of the campaign for his re-election for a second five-year term at the end of 2020.