May 2022 Madjoari massacre explained
On 25 May 2022, armed assailants suspected to be jihadists attacked the rural locality of Madjoari in the Kompienga Province of Burkina Faso. The massacre left at least 50 civilians dead as they were attempting to flee a blockade. It was the third attack to take place in Madjoari in May 2022, after an attack on 14 May that killed 17 civilians and another on 19 May that killed 11 soldiers.[1] [2]
Background
Since 2015, Burkina Faso has been fighting jihadists linked to the Islamic State and al-Qaeda in some parts of the country. Civilians and soldiers in northern and eastern Burkina Faso are regularly attacked by the militants. Over 2,000 people have been killed and 1.8 million displaced.[3] In January 2022, President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré was ousted in a military coup because of his lack of effort in managing the deteriorating security situation and in combating Islamist insurgents.[4]
Attack
On 25 May 2022, at least 50 civilians were shot dead in Madjoari, which was occupied by jihadists. Witnesses at the scene said that residents were trying to flee the blockaded area after having been deprived of supplies for a week, and that all the dead were men.[5] The wounded were evacuated to Diapaga for treatment.[6]
Colonel Hubert Yameogo, the governor of the region, said the massacre was carried out by unidentified suspected jihadists.
Reactions
The killing was condemned by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, whose spokesman issued a statement expressing Guterres's condolences to the families of the victims and reaffirming the United Nations' commitment to aiding Burkina Faso in managing the country's security situation.[7]
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry also condemned the killing and reaffirmed Egypt's "full solidarity" with Burkina Faso in its effort to combat the terrorist groups.[8]
References
- News: 26 May 2022 . Armed assailants kill about 50 people in eastern Burkina Faso . en . Reuters . live . 29 May 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220527090639/https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/armed-assailants-kill-about-50-people-eastern-burkina-faso-2022-05-26/ . 27 May 2022.
- Web site: Pauvarel . Camille . 27 May 2022 . Attaque dans l'est du Burkina Faso : au moins 50 morts . 29 May 2022 . euronews . fr . 27 May 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220527122626/http://fr.euronews.com/2022/05/27/attaque-dans-l-est-du-burkina-faso-au-moins-50-morts . live .
- Web site: 26 May 2022 . Suspected jihadists kill dozens in eastern Burkina Faso . 29 May 2022 . France 24 . en . 27 May 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220527185815/https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20220526-suspected-jihadists-kill-dozens-in-eastern-burkina-faso . live .
- News: 25 January 2022 . Burkina Faso coup: Why soldiers have overthrown President Kaboré . en-GB . BBC News . live . 26 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220126053031/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-60112043 . 26 January 2022.
- Web site: Welle (www.dw.com) . Deutsche . Burkina Faso: Gunmen kill 50 civilians in flare-up of violence DW 27 May 2022 . 29 May 2022 . DW.COM . en-GB . 27 May 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220527102654/https://www.dw.com/en/burkina-faso-gunmen-kill-50-civilians-in-flare-up-of-violence/a-61942981 . live .
- Web site: 26 May 2022 . Burkina Faso: des dizaines d'habitants de Madjoari tués par des hommes non identifiés . 29 May 2022 . RFI . fr . 27 May 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220527184242/https://www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/20220526-burkina-faso-des-dizaines-d-habitants-de-madjoari-tu%C3%A9s-par-des-hommes-non-identifi%C3%A9s.
- Web site: Secretary-General Strongly Condemns Killing by Extremist Armed Groups in Burkina Faso Meetings Coverage and Press Releases . 29 May 2022 . www.un.org . 31 May 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220531051313/https://www.un.org/press/en/2022/sgsm21300.doc.htm . live .
- Web site: 2022-05-28 . Egypt condemns deadly attack in Madjoari, voices support to Burkina Faso against terrorism . 2022-05-31 . EgyptToday.
