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Join on Telegram Rabat – The Moroccan government has extended its support and condolences to Burkina Faso, after a deadly weekend attack caused 160 civilian casualties in the West African country.
In a personal letter to Burkinabe Minister of Foreign Affairs Alpha Barry, the Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita reiterated Morocco’s “ total and strong solidarity with the Burkinabe government,” and extended the country’s “ deep condolences and its sincere feelings of compassion” to the families affected by the brutal attack.
The assault was carried out from late Friday night to early Saturday morning in the village of Solhan in northern Burkina Faso. Burkinabe security forces are still trying to determine the full extent of the damage as they work to secure the area and provide aid to the affected villagers.
In a statement, Red Cross said it was sending “half a ton of medical support, mainly dressings, medication, sets of plaster, syringes, and anesthetic” in the wake of the attack. The international aid group also extended its condolences to the Burkinabe government and aggrieved families.
The attack has been linked to terrorist groups in the country with links to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. These groups have effectively been at war with Burkina Faso’s government since 2015.
Although terror attacks in the country have tapered over the past year, the latest attack marks the deadliest incident since the insurgency began in northern Burkina Faso. According to reports, insurgents primarily target villages in the country’s more isolated Sahel region.
In a show of stunning brutality, militants reportedly moved through Solhan “shooting people and burning down homes and the market,” AP reported. The Sahel region’s sparse population and lack of heavy government presence has long made it a breeding ground for several terror groups, who are able to move through the region with relative impunity.
So far, no single group has claimed responsibility for the attack. But, according to analysts at the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data project, the attack fits the patterns of the Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM) terrorist group, who are known to plant “explosives to prevent army access” in the wake of their attacks.
The attacks were allegedly motivated by the presence of volunteer fighters working with government forces in the region, and likely a show of force by the terrorist group to expand its influence.
As several militaries, including US and Moroccan armed forces are currently undergoing military exercises only a few countries away, the attack in Burkina Faso will be sure to serve as a reminder that the fight against the proliferation of extremist groups in the Sahel region remains a top priority and is set to become a key driver of regional dynamics.
