At least nine gendarmes and about “10 civilians” were killed Sunday in Fuebe, in northern Burkina Faso , during an attack believed to have been carried out by jihadists, Communications Minister and government spokesman Useni Tambura said on Monday.
“As we prepare to bury our brave fighters in the deadly attack in Inata, scheduled for tomorrow (Tuesday), we have recorded another attack on a gendarme detachment in Fube, Sanaa central and northern part of the country, said Mr. Tamboura, who spoke on public radio.
“Unfortunately, this attack had victims, among the 9 gendarmes and about ten civilians,” he added.
An earlier report by sources close to the security forces said only nine gendarmes had been killed.
Another “eight gendarmes are still missing”, according to the same sources, who clarified that “search operations are still ongoing”.
The new attack on the gendarmerie took place a week after it in Inata (north) , during which at least 57 people – including 53 gendarmes – were killed, according to a new report also given yesterday by the minister.
For Mr. Tambouras, “it is necessary to recognize that we are really at war.”
“36 gendarmes (out of the 53 who were killed in Inata) will be buried (today) Tuesday in Ouagadougou,” he said, urging citizens to “pay tribute” to the dead.
The attack on Inata is the deadliest against the defense and security forces since Burkina Faso was confronted with jihadist action, which has claimed the lives of at least 2,000 people and uprooted 1.4 million others.
The impoverished country of West Africa has been in the grip of the activities of organizations that swear allegiance to either Al Qaeda or the Islamic State (IS) since 2015.
Their attacks, more and more frequent, are concentrated in the vast majority in the northern and eastern regions of Burkina Faso.
The law enforcement forces, which are paying a heavy price, with – officially – some five hundred members having been killed in these six years, seem unable to curb the jihadist violence, which has led to demonstrations and outbursts of outrage on the part of the dissidents. inhabitants of several cities in the African country.
