Terrorist Attack Kills 300 in Burkina Faso

By Al Mayadeen English

A terrorist attack carried out by an Al-Qaeda-affiliated armed group has killed at least 300 people whom the group claimed were army militants.

An armed group affiliated with the Al-Qaeda terrorist organization announced that it killed around 300 people in an attack in northern Burkina Faso last Saturday, claiming that those killed were army personnel, not civilians. 

Relatives of the victims said that at least 400 people were killed when armed individuals opened fire on civilians forced to dig up "defensive trenches" under the army's orders, according to the US-based SITE Intelligence group. 

The attack, which was carried out outside the town of Barsalogho, is considered one of the deadliest the country has seen in almost a decade. 

The terrorist Support Group for Islam and Muslims claimed responsibility for the attack, claiming that soldiers and militants were digging trenches at the time of the attack, saying "Those who were eliminated in the attack are but militias for the Burkinabé army, not civilians as they claimed." 

Video footage seemingly taken by the armed individuals showed tens of bodies in civilian clothing thrown into the trenches. 

According to France Press, Burkinabe authorities announced that an armed attack led to the deaths of dozens of people, including civilians and army volunteers, in a northern village. 

In February, at least 15 civilians were killed and two others injured by a terrorist attack on a Catholic church during Sunday mass in northern Burkina Faso, according to a church official.

In a statement shared with AFP, Jean-Pierre Sawadogo, the vicar of the Dori diocese stated, "We bring to your attention a terrorist attack which the Catholic community of Essakane village was the victim of today, February 25, while they were gathered for Sunday prayer."