CIVIC Calls For More Security To Protect Civilians Against Armed Groups In Burkina Faso
The recent attack carried out by armed opposition groups led to the death of at least 79 civilians in Seytenga.
The Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC) has condemned the recent attack by armed opposition against civilians in Seno province, Burkina Faso.
Armed opposition groups launched an attack on the commune from Saturday, June 11, to Sunday, June 12, night in Seytenga, killing at least 79 civilians.
CIVIC is an organisation that covers civilians affected by conflicts and advocates for policymakers to recognise their rights during and after the fighting.
Vianney Bisimwa, CIVIC’s Director for the Sahel, said, “Civilians in Burkina Faso are bearing the brunt of armed violence, including attacks by armed opposition groups and security operations.”
“Dozens of civilians are killed in a single attack, and this underscores the lack of regard these armed groups hold for civilian lives,” Bisimwa said.
He urged the government to take measures to protect civilians from future attacks.
Last week, the organisation stated that Seytenga was at the front of intense fighting between armed opposition groups and government forces.
“The attack in Seytenga is one of the deadliest since the start of 2022,” Bisimwa said.
CIVIC called on Burkina Faso’s government to ensure civilians’ safety following reprisal attacks by the military and security operations.
The organisation also called on the government to investigate and hold accountable those responsible for targeting and killing civilians.
For over a decade, the central Sahel region in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso has witnessed conflict between armed groups, government, and international security forces.
In 2021, Burkina Faso became the region’s hotspot for violence, with an intense rise in abductions and attacks, such as the attack on Solhan in June, in which 160 people were killed.
In the last two years, nearly 5,000 people have died in Burkina Faso because of armed violence carried out by armed forces. Another 2 million people have fled their homes, deepening the country’s humanitarian crisis.
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