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Rabat – Security forces in Burkina Faso have rescued 66 women and children who were being held hostage in the country’s North for more than a week, national broadcaster Radiodiffusion Television du Burkina (RTB) reported.
Armed men had kidnapped the victims on January 12 and 13 from two villages in the Sahel region’s Soum province. The hostages included 27 women and 39 children.
Burkinabe officials warned of a rise in attacks on civilians as their country continues to suffer from conflict following the kidnapping, which also prompted concerns from the United Nations.
RTB showed images of the hostages being brought to the capital Ouagadougou while citing the army “operation” to rescue them. Reuters said the news was confirmed by government and security officials.
Several countries in West Africa, including Burkina Faso, are suffering from conflict with armed groups, including ones with links to Al-Qaeda and ISIS.
Recently, civilians and villages have been caught up in the groups’ attacks, with many being kidnapped or killed in raids on their villages.
The conflict has also made it harder for food and supplies to be delivered to said villages, causing shortages for several communities.
