OUAGADOUGOU: A deadly attack on a mosque in eastern Burkina Faso has killed dozens of Muslims on the same day as another attack on Catholics attending mass, AFP reported on Monday, citing local and security sources. The two attacks took place on Sunday in different regions of the country.
Armed assailants struck a mosque in Natiaboani, eastern Burkina Faso, and a Catholic church in the village of Essakane, northern Burkina Faso, targeting worshippers during their respective religious services.
The attack on the mosque in Natiaboani occurred around 5:00 am as Muslims gathered for morning prayers. Reports indicate that armed persons surrounded the mosque, indiscriminately firing upon worshippers, resulting in the deaths of several dozen people, mostly men. Among the victims was a prominent religious leader. The attackers, described as a large group, also targeted soldiers and members of the Volunteers for the Defence of the Fatherland (VDP), inflicting substantial damage on the community.
Meanwhile, in Essakane, worshippers attending Sunday mass at a Catholic church were brutally attacked, resulting in the deaths of at least 15 civilians and injuring two others. The village, situated in the volatile “three borders” zone near Burkina Faso’s northeastern border with Mali and Niger, fell victim to the attack.
