The August 24 terrorist attack, the third such incident in August and reportedly “one of the deadliest” in the history of Burkina Faso that has been grappling with Islamist terrorism since 2015, claimed the lives of 22 Christians.
According to an August 25 media report, residents of Barsalogho, a community about 30 km north of Kaya, the capital of the Centre-Nord region, were digging defensive trenches to protect themselves from terrorist attacks when more than 100 jihadists arrived on motorcycles and began firing automatic weapons at both civilians and soldiers.
An Al Qaeda-linked terrorist group in West Africa known as Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM) reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack that injured at least 140 people.
In an August 27 report, the Catholic charity foundation that supports the suffering people of God across the globe, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) International, quoted local sources as saying that the number of the dead was so high that it was not possible to bury all the victims over the past three days.
The Local Ordinary of Burkina Faso’s Kaya Catholic Diocese, which covers Barsalogho town, Bishop Théophile Nare has been quoted as describing the August 24 attack as a “tragedy of unprecedented proportions since the beginning of the terrorist attacks”.
Bishop Nare directed the people of God under his pastoral care to embark on three days of prayer starting on August 29. In a pastoral message addressing the tragedy, the Burkinabe Catholic Bishop also declared August 28 a day of mourning following the attack.
In the letter, Bishop Nare further urged the faithful to participate in the Way of the Cross as a sign of repentance at the end of the mourning day.
“I ask you to observe Wednesday, August 28th, as a Diocesan day of mourning for our dead, whether they are Christians or of other religious affiliations,” Bishop Nare said in the statement shared with ACI Africa on August 27.
Silas Mwale Isenjia is a Kenyan journalist with a great zeal and interest for Catholic Church related communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communication from Moi University in Kenya. Silas has vast experience in the Media production industry. He currently works as a Journalist for ACI Africa.
