Burkina Faso mosque attack leaves dozens dead
Dozens were killed in an attack on a mosque in eastern Burkina Faso during morning prayers, BBC News reported.
Local sources noted that a group of armed individuals targeted a mosque in the rural community of Natiaboani on February 25 at 5am. Among those killed was a religious leader and major damages to the building were carried out.
The east has often been victim to numerous armed groups who have ran riot there since 2018.
The source said , “the terrorists entered the town early morning. They surrounded the mosque and shot at the faithful, who were gathered there for the first prayer of the day.”
READ: Jihadists killed dozens of civilians according to Burkinabe officials
On the same day, a Catholic church in the northern village of Essakane was attacked during a Sunday mass leaving 15 people dead.
Burkina Faso and the Sahel region as a whole have been hotbeds for jihadist groups with links to prominent terror organisations such as Daesh for over a decade.
Back in November 2023, gunmen stormed into the central town of Zaongo and killed 70 people as well as injuring 100. The massacre prompted a UN investigation shortly after.
It has been said that both attacks were committed by Islamic extremist fighters, who also targeted Burkinabe soldiers on the day, however no group has yet claimed responsibility for any of the attacks on February 25.
BBC News/AFP
