The suspected militants targeted civilians in Seytenga in the province of Séno, Wendkouni government spokesman Joel Lionel Bilgo told a news conference. While the government put the official tally at 55, others raised the number much higher, with some saying up to 100 had died. Attacks linked to Al Qaeda and Islamic State are on the rise in Burkina Faso, especially in the north. Jihadists killed at least 160 people in an attack in the town of Solhan last July. In January, rebel soldiers ousted the democratically elected president by promising to secure the nation, but violence has escalated. The government is urging the people to remain united in the fight against the guerrillas. Although no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, conflict analysts say it was most likely carried out by Islamic State. “In recent weeks, the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) has been the most aggressive group, especially in Seno and Oudalan provinces. “Apart from attacks on security forces, civilians have also been targeted,” said Rida Lyammouri, a senior fellow at the Policy Center for the New South, a Moroccan-based organization focusing on economics and politics. “This is a major blow to the security forces and it puts them back in the spotlight, indicating that they are far from being able to secure the area and protect civilians,” he said. Nearly 5,000 people have died in the past two years in Burkina Faso as a result of violence accused of Islamist extremists. Another 2 million people have fled their homes, deepening the humanitarian crisis in the country.
