SUSPECTED JIHADIST ATTACK IN BURKINA FASO CLAIMS LIVES OF SEVEN GHANAIANS
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By: Fasasi Hammad
A suspected jihadist attack over the weekend on the strategic northern town of Titao in Burkina Faso left around 10 civilians dead, including seven Ghanaians, according to local residents and officials.
Although the Burkinabe army said it successfully repelled the assault on Saturday, the attack raises the estimated death toll from jihadist violence across the country between Thursday and Sunday to at least 20, based on local and security reports.
For over a decade, Burkina Faso has faced persistent attacks from militants affiliated with either the Islamic State group or Al-Qaeda across its northern and desert regions.
Despite the military takeover in a 2022 coup, which promised to restore security within months, the country continues to experience escalating violence.
During Saturday’s attack, assailants targeted Titao, the capital of Louroum Province, including the military detachment stationed there. A local resident told the media on Monday that roughly 10 civilians died, including traders and truck drivers visiting the market, while several shops and vehicles were set ablaze.
The Ghanaian Interior Minister confirmed that seven Ghanaian tomato sellers were killed, with their bodies reportedly burnt beyond recognition.
The Burkinabe army, which rarely comments on the frequent attacks, stated on national television late Sunday that it had repelled the jihadist offensive. Army spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Abdoul Aziz Ouedraogo said the attackers had set the market on fire, allegedly to produce propaganda videos.
On Monday, the Al-Qaeda-linked group JNIM (Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims) claimed responsibility for the Titao attack, asserting that it killed “dozens of Burkinabe soldiers.” The group also claimed responsibility for assaults on army bases in Nare, Tandjari, Bilanga, and Ouahigouya between Thursday and Sunday, reportedly resulting in at least 19 soldiers’ deaths.
According to conflict monitoring group ACLED, Burkina Faso’s jihadist conflict has killed tens of thousands of civilians and military personnel since 2015, with more than half of the fatalities occurring in the past three years.
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