More Than 60 killed in Burkina Faso Violence

• 04.04.2019, 12:30
•  Other,  World

Burkina and neighbouring Mali have seen a spike in ethnic clashes fuelled by Islamist militants as they seek to extend their influence over the Sahel, an arid region between Africa's northern Sahara desert and its southern savannas, France24 reports. 

Islamist attacks have risen in recent months, and the violence has reignited long-standing tensions between communities as certain groups are blamed for collaborating with the jihadists.

New violence arose near the town of Arbinda in Burkina's Soum province on Sunday night, when a religious leader and six of his family members were killed by unidentified armed men, the ruling Movement of People for Progress (MPP) party said in a statement on Wednesday.

"Thirty deaths were the result of inter-communal conflicts, and 32 people were killed by terrorists," said Territorial Administration Minister Simeon Sawadogo, adding that militants had taken nine hostages.

Deteriorating security prompted the government to declare a state of emergency in several northern provinces bordering Mali in December, which was extended by six months after jihadists attacked civilians in Soum.