Over the weekend, suspected terrorists killed at least ten civilians in an attack on a market in northern Burkina Faso, according to local sources and security officials.
Burkina Faso has been dealing with ongoing violence from terrorist groups, a situation that began spilling over from neighbouring Mali in 2015.
Thousands of civilians, soldiers, and police officers have lost their lives in this conflict, which has led to two military coups in 2022 due to growing public dissatisfaction with the rising death toll.
A resident from Manni, a town in the Gnagna province, described Sunday as a “black day.” They explained that terrorists attacked in the evening, resulting in widespread death and destruction.
“It’s difficult to give an exact toll but at least ten people died and more than 50 wounded people were taken to the Manni medical centre,” the local said.
Witnesses said the attackers specifically targeted the market, firing their weapons indiscriminately upon arrival, which caused chaos. They also looted shops and set the market on fire.
Another local expressed worry that the number of casualties could rise significantly due to the scale of the attack.
“They opened fire when they turned up, creating general panic. Then they looted shops and set the whole place alight,” he said, adding that he feared the toll would be “huge, given the scale of the attack,” he said.
“The hospital is overwhelmed and the wounded had to be tended to in the courtyard,” he added.
Medical staff at the overwhelmed hospital in Manni were forced to treat the injured in the hospital courtyard, as shown in videos shared on social media.
A security official confirmed that the attack was carried out by terrorists, stating, “Fighting forces are currently active in the area,” but did not provide further details. As has been the case in recent months, Burkina Faso’s military junta did not release an official death toll.
The ruling junta, which took power in 2022, has promised to prioritise the fight against terrorism.
Since 2015, over 26,000 people have died in Burkina Faso due to armed attacks, with more than 6,000 fatalities occurring this year alone, according to data from the NGO Acled.
Just a day before the attack in Manni, junta leader Ibrahim Traore held a public radio session to address listeners’ questions.
Speaking about the ongoing conflict, Traore stated, “We are in conflict with armed bandits who kill without discrimination. We have no intention of reconciling with them. We will fight until they surrender.”
Burkina Faso experienced its worst attack in late August when gunmen linked to the Al-Qaeda affiliate JNIM killed hundreds of civilians and security personnel near Barsalogho.
While official figures remain unclear, reports from victim groups suggest that over 400 civilians were killed, with some estimates reaching as high as 600.