Burkina Faso. A jihadist attack targeting a supply convoy leaves a dozen dead

An attack by suspected jihadists in Gaskindé, in northern Burkina Faso, left « ten dead », mostly soldiers, security sources reported on Monday. « A population supply convoy, escorted by a unit of the 14th RIA (Inter-Armes Regiment) bound for Djibo, was the target of a terrorist attack today, near the town of Gaskindé », a town located in the Soum province, Sahel region, said an army statement.

« The attack unfortunately caused human and material damage », continues the text, specifying that « a complete assessment will be established as soon as possible ». A security source, for his part, mentioned a provisional toll of “ten deaths among the elements of the detachment. There were also many serious injuries.” « The count is still continuing and reinforcements have been deployed to the area to provide assistance to the victims and secure the area, » said the same source.

Increasing attacks

On Sunday, another convoy escorted by the army, which left the day before Dori, capital of the Sahel region, to supply the town of Sebba, was the target of an attack with an improvised explosive device, according to secure sources. Four people were injured in the incident, and the convoy arrived on Monday, greeted with popular jubilation.

On Saturday, two soldiers and two civilian army auxiliaries were killed in a « terrorist » attack against a patrol in the province of Tapoa, a region in eastern Burkina, bordering Niger and Benin, according to the army. Burkina Faso, where soldiers took power in January promising to make the fight against jihadist their priority, is confronted like several neighboring countries with the violence of armed movements affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group.

Since 2015, recurrent attacks have left thousands dead and displaced some two million people.