At least eight members of Burkina Faso’s security forces were killed on June 30 during multiple attacks attributed to jihadist groups in the eastern and central parts of the country.
According to a senior official in the Burkinabè army, the June 30 attack in Fada N’Gourma, attributed to the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (GSIM), affiliated with Al-Qaeda, was carried out by commandos from a third country. These attackers were equipped with sophisticated light weaponry, explosives, and advanced communication tools.
Military sources in Mali and Niger went further, accusing Algeria’s military regime of being involved in the Sahel attacks through a special unit known as KL-7, made up of former Algerian soldiers and foreign mercenaries.
The first attack targeted the police station at the university of Fada N’Gourma in the eastern region, near the Nigerien border. According to a witness, « terrorists » attacked the site on the northern outskirts of the city, resulting in casualties and material damage.
In an official statement, the Director General of the National Police, Wennélebsida Jean-Alexandre Darga, confirmed the deaths of seven police officers. A memorial ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, followed by their burial in Tanghin Dassouri, near Ouagadougou.
On the same day, a second attack targeted a military position near Boulsa, in the center of the country. According to a local security source, one soldier was killed and two Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland (VDP) were taken prisoner.
Three days later, jihadists returned to attack the university site in Fada N’Gourma, this time causing damage to the buildings, according to a student.
Burkinabè President Captain Ibrahim Traoré, along with his counterparts General Assimi Goïta in Mali and General Abdourahamane Tiani in Niger, have declared the reconquest of territory and the security of the Sahel to be their top priority.