March 22, 2019 – An offensive by Islamists in northern Burkina Faso has left dozens of civilians dead and forced tens of thousands to flee their homes, Human Rights Watch said Friday. “Atrocities by Islamist armed groups in Burkina Faso’s northern Sahel region and by security forces during counterterrorism operations have left scores dead and created widespread fear and displacement,” the group said in a 62-page report. “The violence has forced tens of thousands of villagers to flee since early 2019,” it said. Jihadist groups have gained ground in central Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, while Chad is battling unrest on its borders. Since 2015, more than 300 people have been killed, typically in hit-and-run raids, and the Burkina Faso capital Ouagadougou has been hit three times.

Source: The North Africa Journal March 22, 2019 06:11 UTC