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Armed men stormed a mosque in the volatile north of Burkina Faso as worshippers were at prayer, killing 16 people and sending residents fleeing, security sources and locals said Saturday.
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The attack on the Grand Mosque in the town of Salmossi on Friday evening underscores the difficulties faced by the country in its battle against jihadists.
One source said 13 people died on the spot and three succumbed to their injuries later. Two of the wounded are in critical condition.
"Since this morning, people have started to flee the area," one resident from the nearby town of Gorom-Gorom said.
He said there was a "climate of panic despite military reinforcements" that were deployed after the deadly attack.
Although hit by jihadist violence, many Burkinabes oppose the presence of foreign troops — notably from former colonial ruler France — on their territory.
On Saturday, a crowd of about 1,000 people marched in the capital Ouagadougou "to denounce terrorism and the presence of foreign military bases in Africa."
"Terrorism has now become an ideal pretext for installing foreign military bases in our country," said Gabin Korbeogo, one of co-organisers of the march.
"The French, American, Canadian, German and other armies have set foot in our sub-region, saying they want to fight terrorism. But despite this massive presence… the terrorist groups… are growing stronger."
Until 2015, the poor West African country Burkina Faso was largely spared violence that hit Mali and then Niger, its neighbours to the north.
But jihadists — some linked to Al-Qaeda, others to the so-called Islamic State group — started infiltrating the north, then the east, and then endangered the southern and western borders of the landlocked country.
Combining guerrilla hit-and-rRead More – Source
