The president of Burkina Faso's transitional government, Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, has decided to create two "zones of military interest" where "all human presence is forbidden" in the north of the country in order to combat deadly jihadist violence. "The CSDN has decided to create two zones of military interest, notably in the eastern and Sahel (northern) regions," he said, adding that the decision was taken "for greater efficiency in the fight against the terrorist hydra. In these areas, any activity or human presence will be prohibited at the risk of exposing oneself "to the military operations that will be conducted there shortly", said Mr Bamouni. These announcements come ten days after the massacre of Seytenga (north) where 86 civilians were killed by jihadists, one of the worst killings in the country's history. Lieutenant-Colonel Bamouni also warned that any member of the armed forces who abandons his position or his equipment "will be subject to disciplinary and criminal proceedings".

Source: The North Africa Journal June 21, 2022 18:54 UTC