2022 Seytenga massacre explained
On June 12, 2022, at least 100 civilians were killed in a massacre by suspected Islamists in the village of Seytenga, located in a department of the same name in Séno Province, Burkina Faso.[1]
The attack occurred around 4:00 or 5:00 PM. A survivor recalled that the terrorists "went from shop to shop, sometimes torching [them]... They opened fire on anyone who tried to run away." Homes also were reported to have been burned during the massacre.[2]
Authorities confirmed at least 79 deaths, but expected there to be over 100.[3] Other estimates said that the death toll was 165.[4] According to Reuters, quoting anonymous sources, the attackers "targeted men but appeared to spare women and children". 3,000 residents of the town were displaced to Dori.[5]
The EU and the UN[6] denounced the massacre, along with Interim President of Burkina Faso Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, who declared a 72-hour national day of mourning.
It was the worst attack in the Jihadist insurgency in Burkina Faso since the 2021 Solhan and Tadaryat massacres.[7]
Notes and References
- News: 2022-06-13 . Armed men kill at least 100 in Burkina Faso border zone - security source . en . Reuters . 2022-06-14 . 2022-06-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220616222222/https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/least-100-killed-burkina-faso-attack-over-weekend-sources-2022-06-13/ . live .
- Web site: Ouagadougou . Agence France-Presse in . 2022-06-14 . Burkina Faso: dozens more bodies found after militant attack . 2022-06-14 . the Guardian . en . 2024-05-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240523003003/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/14/burkina-faso-dozens-more-bodies-found-after-militant-attack . live .
- Web site: AfricaNews . 2022-06-14 . Burkina Faso: Death toll from Seytenga attack rises to 79 . 2022-06-14 . Africanews . en . 2022-07-03 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220703064204/https://www.africanews.com/2022/06/14/burkina-faso-death-toll-from-seytenga-attack-rises-to-79// . live .
- Web site: At least 50 killed in Burkina Faso rebel attack: Government . 2022-06-14 . www.aljazeera.com . en . 2022-06-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220613220714/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/6/13/at-least-50-killed-in-burkina-faso-rebel-attack-government . live .
- News: 2022-06-14 . Soldiers in Burkina Faso recover 79 bodies so far after weekend attack . en . Reuters . 2022-06-14 . 2022-06-14 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220614150132/https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/soldiers-burkina-faso-recover-79-bodies-so-far-after-weekend-attack-2022-06-14/ . live .
- Web site: 2022-06-13 . At least 50 civilians killed in suspected jihadist raid on Burkina Faso village . 2022-06-14 . France 24 . en . 2022-06-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220613234252/https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20220613-at-least-50-civilians-killed-in-suspected-jihadist-raid-on-burkina-faso-village . live .
- Web site: Faivre . Agnès . A Seytenga, au Burkina Faso: "Ils ne disaient rien, c'était une tuerie sans raison" . 2022-06-14 . Libération . fr . 2022-06-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220613233325/https://www.liberation.fr/international/afrique/a-seytenga-au-burkina-faso-ils-ne-disaient-rien-cetait-une-tuerie-sans-raison-20220613_ODO3UBDF4ZBMLI7KDJ5Q3Q5HQA/ . live .
