Survivors and residents of the Burkina Faso village where 136 people were killed in an attack on April 20 said on Saturday that the fatalities included women and children. They pointed the finger at the country’s security services.
Following reports that individuals wearing Burkinabe armed forces uniforms killed approximately 60 civilians in the northern village of Karma and surrounding areas, a prosecutor launched an investigation into the massacre last week.
Many have condemned the attack and called for an investigation by the UN Human Rights Office because it was one of the worst attacks on civilians during the country’s fight against armed militants linked to al Qaeda and the Islamic State.
An Islamist insurgency that started a decade ago in neighboring Mali has spread to Burkina Faso and other West African nations, killing thousands and displacing more than two million people.
The country’s military leadership has launched a huge offensive in the hope of retaking enormous swaths of terrain now controlled by armed terrorists.
The government strongly condemned the attack on Karma in a statement made on April 27th but provided no information on casualties. Since then, further information has come to light.
Residents and survivors said in a statement issued on Saturday that on the morning of April 20, the hamlet was surrounded by heavily armed men wearing Burkinabe military uniforms and riding motorcycles, pick-up trucks, and armored vehicles.
“The villagers initially rejoiced at their arrival, but their joy was quickly shattered by gunfire,” according to the statement, which adds that 136 civilians have been killed and nine have been injured.
On Saturday, Reuters sought to contact the Burkina Faso military and administration, but neither agency responded.
During a news conference in Ouahigouya, the province seat located about 15 kilometers (9.32 miles) from Karma village, a survivor and local resident spoke out against the government’s assertion.
This comment, he claims, promotes disinformation about who is to blame for the tragedy among security and military personnel.
We, the people of Karma and survivors of recent events, know that the security and defense forces are to blame for this massacre. We are not inexperienced; we are well-versed in our defense and security forces.
