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Deadly assault in northern Burkina Faso
At least 20 people, including seven Ghanaians, were killed on Saturday when Islamist militants attacked the town of Titao in northern Burkina Faso, according to reports. The assault was claimed by Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda-affiliated group.
Ghanaian traders among the victims
Ghana's Interior Minister, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, confirmed that seven of the deceased were Ghanaian tomato traders traveling in a supply truck. Their bodies were "burnt beyond recognition," he said, adding that identification efforts are ongoing. The area remains inaccessible due to blocked roads, preventing embassy officials from reaching the scene.
Survivors, primarily women with minor or no injuries, have been asked to assist in documenting the burial process, as the bodies have begun to decompose. Burkinabè authorities have pledged military support to evacuate unharmed and injured survivors to Ghana's mission in Ouagadougou after the burials.
Military response and ongoing violence
Burkina Faso's military government, which seized power promising to curb jihadist violence, has not released an official death toll for the latest attacks. However, army spokesman Lt Col Abdoul Aziz Ouedraogo stated on state-run RTB that security forces had "inflicted a heavy defeat on the terrorists," neutralizing "several dozen" militants during Saturday's assaults.
Ouedraogo attributed the attack to recent military operations in the north and Sahel regions, which he said forced militants to regroup westward. Witnesses in Titao described the attackers splitting into three groups: one targeting a military camp, another destroying telephone infrastructure, and a third looting and burning shops and supply vehicles.
Unconfirmed reports of broader militant activity
Unnamed security sources cited by AFP claimed "hundreds" of armed jihadists overran Titao's military camp, leaving it partially destroyed. They also reported a major attack on a military detachment in the northern town of Nare. Neither claim has been verified by the government.
Titao's base is considered one of the best-equipped in the Burkinabè army, raising concerns about its vulnerability. Two days prior to the attack, suspected JNIM militants seized control of Bilanga in eastern Burkina Faso, killing 18 soldiers, according to French broadcaster RFI.
Traders demand safer routes
The association representing tomato and onion truck drivers said the attackers set the supply vehicle ablaze after the driver attempted to take cover. The group has repeatedly called for improved safety measures for traders traveling cross-border to source produce.
"This latest incident underscores the enormous risks these traders face in transporting vegetables for sale," said Eric Tuffour, a representative of the association.
Regional impact
The past four days have seen a surge in Islamist attacks in northern and eastern Burkina Faso, exacerbating instability in the region. Ghanaian officials continue efforts to evacuate citizens stranded in the area, while Burkinabè authorities proceed with burials amid deteriorating conditions.
