“We are constantly living in fear”: Catholic Priests Recount Experiences of Christian Persecution in Burkina Faso

“The entire city has been under siege, with no access to food or medical supplies. The situation is extremely difficult for everyone,” the Burkinabe Catholic Priest further lamented. 

He recounted his personal experiences with the terrorists, saying that the encounters have instilled in him “profound fear.”

“During my travels for the church’s work, I have faced armed groups who question and threaten us. I was with Nuns, and we were stopped and searched. It is terrifying to face such hostility and know that Priests have been kidnapped and killed,” he recounted, adding, “We are constantly living in fear, unsure if we will survive each day.”

On his part, Fr. Koné, who has been serving in Tansila Parish since October 2022, spoke about the escalation of violence across Burkina Faso over the years. 

Upon arriving in Tansila, Fr. Koné found the region already facing severe security challenges, he said, and recounted, “The situation was tense from the beginning, but it has worsened progressively. The terrorists have targeted and destroyed all communication networks, cutting us off from the rest of the country.”

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Fr. Koné recalled the devastating impact of the terrorists’ attacks on 15 April 2023, when more than 200 militants stormed Tansila. 

“They arrived in the evening and attacked the town with such force that residents had no time to gather their belongings. They looted everything—food, money, and even transportation means,” Fr. Koné recounted. 

He continued, “The destruction was immense. Our church, presbytery, and all our religious artifacts were vandalized. We returned to find everything in ruins.”

The psychological and spiritual impact of these attacks, he said, have been “profound.”

 “The destruction of our church feels like the loss of our religious identity,” Fr. Koné further said, and continued, “It is as though we have been stripped of our dignity and our faith. The pain is not just physical but deeply spiritual. It raises questions about where God is in the midst of such suffering.”

Fr. Koné also spoke about the impact of the terrorist attacks on the local population, who he said is grappling with the loss of loved ones and the destruction of homes and livelihoods. 

“We celebrated a dark Christmas last year. The attacks had left us in a state of panic and despair. Our communities are deeply scarred, and the suffering is unimaginable,” he said during the September 2 press conference that ACN International organized.

Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.