Soldier among 12 dead in northern Burkina Faso clashes

By Aurore Bonny

DOUALA, Cameroon (AA) – At least 12 people, including a soldier and four members of a pro-government militia, were killed in clashes with an armed group in northern Burkina Faso on Thursday.

A terrorist group stormed the town of Djibo, some 210 kilometers (130 miles) north of the capital Ouagadougou, ransacking stores and attacking a security base, according to the Burkina Faso military.

It, however, did not name the group behind the deadly assault.

Gendarmerie forces, supported by members of a pro-government militia called the Volunteers for the Defense of the Fatherland (VDP), repelled the attackers, killing seven and wounding several others, the military said.

One gendarmerie soldier and 4 VDP fighters were also killed in the clashes, while eight more soldiers were injured.

The military said the attack was an indication that terror groups in the region are “out of breath” and increasingly desperate for food and basic supplies.

Under growing pressure from security forces, these terrorists are “showing more and more signs of weakness,” it added.

Terrorist attacks are a frequent occurrence in Djibo, which is among the towns most impacted by relentless unrest in the region.

Djibo’s population has swelled from 30,000 in 2019 to over 200,000 at present as a result of successive waves of displacement.

In December 2021 and January 2022 alone, more than 50,000 new people sought refuge in the town, according to French humanitarian aid group Solidarites International.​​​​​​​