Up to 33 people were killed when gunmen opened fire on vegetable farmers in Burkina Faso’s jihadist-hit areas, the governor said on Saturday, as Burkina Faso struggles to quell the rebellion. Since March, a state of emergency has been declared by Governor Babo-Pierre Bassinga in eight of Burkina Faso’s 13 regions, including Boucle du Mouffen West.
Governor Babo-Pierre Bassinga said in a statement that the attack on the farmers occurred around 17:00 GMT on Thursday night.
According to him-
“The village of Youlou in the department of Cheriba, Mouhoun province suffered a cowardly and barbaric terrorist attack”.
“The gunmen targeted peaceful civilians” who were farming along the river, he said. He added that the “provisional death toll” included 33 people.
Local sources said heavily armed assailants on motorcycles had fired indiscriminately on the farmers.
The victims were buried on Friday.
In Cheriba, residents said three other people had sustained bullet wounds in the attack. they further stated that the perpetrators had burned property before the shooting.
The governor said that security in the area was being enhanced.
Bassinga urged the local population to-
“redouble their vigilance and continue collaborating with the fighting forces for a victory against terrorism and a definitive return of peace and stability”.
cc: Punch Ng
