In a chilling display of vengeance, fighters from Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin JNIM stormed the village of Guiedougou in western Burkina Faso on April 3, massacring an estimated 300 civilians in one of the bloodiest attacks the country has witnessed in recent years.
The ambush came just a day after Burkinabe troops and civilian auxiliaries known as Volunteers for the Defence of the Homeland (VDP) concluded “Operation Tourbillon” in the Sourou Valley. Military officials had hailed the operation as a success — a claim now marred by bloodshed.
According to local witnesses, JNIM militants encircled the village around 4 p.m. and launched a ruthless assault targeting civilians accused of collaborating with state forces. Homes were razed, and families executed in what JNIM described as “retaliation” for the army’s alleged actions against Peuhl communities.
The al-Qaeda-linked group, designated a terrorist organization by the UN, swiftly claimed responsibility, signaling its growing capability and resolve to strike deep within supposedly secured areas.
Security experts warn that the scale and timing of the massacre expose critical gaps in the state’s counterterrorism strategy, raising alarm about the worsening instability plaguing Burkina Faso’s northern and western regions.
As of press time, the Burkinabe government has yet to comment on the incident.
Photo: File image of JNIM’s Inghimassi Special Forces.
Source:@ZagazOlaMakama
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