This archive report was first published on 28 October 2019.
Published on October 28, 2019, by AFP.
Gunmen in northern Burkina Faso have killed at least 15 civilians in a weekend attack, the latest in a wave of jihadist violence that has plagued the impoverished West African country.
The attack occurred in the village of Pobe-Mengao, where gunmen kidnapped residents, ransacked shops, and stole equipment on Saturday night.
"On Saturday night numerous armed individuals attacked the village of Pobe-Mengao and kidnapped several residents, ransacked shops and carried away equipment," a local source said.
Security forces later discovered the lifeless bodies of 11 people, believed to be those abducted by an armed terrorist group the day before.
After the attackers departed, the population fled the village to take refuge in Djibo, the capital of the Soum province, which is 25 kilometers away.
The gunmen returned to Pobe-Mengao on Sunday morning, shooting in the air for several hours before leaving.
Four more bodies were found after the second onslaught, bringing the death toll to at least 15.
The security forces have since sent reinforcements to patrol the area.
The attacks in northern Burkina Faso have claimed around 640 lives nationally, with nearly 500,000 people internally displaced.
