logo
More than 100 killed in jihadi attack in northern Burkina Faso

More than 100 killed in jihadi attack in northern Burkina Faso

CTV News12-05-2025

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — An attack by a jihadi group in northern Burkina Faso killed more than 100 people, mostly soldiers, an aid worker and local residents said Monday.
The attack on several locations, including a military base and the long besieged strategic town of Djibo, occurred early Sunday, said an aid worker actively involved in dialogues in Burkina Faso's hard-hit communities. A student from the area said her father was among those killed.
Both individuals spoke to The Associated Press on Monday on the condition of anonymity due to fear of reprisals.
A jihadi group aligned with Al-Qaida known as Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin or JNIM, which is active in the Sahel region, claimed responsibility for Sunday's attack.
Run by a military junta, the landlocked nation of 23 million has been among the worst hit by the security crisis in Africa's Sahel region, known as the global hot spot for violent extremism. About half of Burkina Faso is outside of government control as a result of the violence that contributed to two coups in 2022. Government security forces have also been accused of extrajudicial killings.
The aid worker, as well as Charlie Werb, an independent open-source analyst focusing on the Sahel, recounted how Sunday's attack began simultaneously in different locations at 6 a.m local time on Sunday.
'JNIM fighters attacked eight localities simultaneously to disperse the Burkina Faso air force. The main attack occurred in Djibo, where JNIM fighters first took control of all the town's entry checkpoints before attacking the military camps, particularly the Special Anti-Terrorist Unit's camp,' said the aid worker.
Werb, who studied videos posted online, said the attackers spent several hours in the areas without air support from Burkina Faso's military, unlike similar attacks on Djibo in the past, when security forces have successfully repelled the extremists.
The latest attack shows JNIM's escalating power and widening reach in Burkina Faso, said Wassim Nasr, a Sahel specialist and senior research fellow at the Soufan Center security think tank. 'The fact that Djibo was targeted confirms the extent of JNIM's freedom of movement within Burkina Faso.'
Analysts have warned that the junta's strategy of military escalation, including the mass recruitment of civilians into poorly trained militias, has worsened inter-ethnic tensions.
____
McMakin reported from Dakar, Senegal
____
Follow AP's Africa coverage at: https://apnews.com/hub/africa
Baba Ahmed And Wilson Mcmakin, The Associated Press

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Protesters in Kenya's capital demand official answers over a blogger's death in police custody
Protesters in Kenya's capital demand official answers over a blogger's death in police custody

CTV News

time3 hours ago

  • CTV News

Protesters in Kenya's capital demand official answers over a blogger's death in police custody

A protester scuffles with a police officer during a protest over the death in police custody of blogger Albert Ojwang, in Nairobi, Kenya, Thursday, June 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Kasuku) NAIROBI, Kenya — Protesters took to the streets of the Kenyan capital on Thursday to vent their anger over the death of a blogger in police custody. Albert Ojwang was arrested June 6 in Homa Bay in western Kenya and driven 400 kilometres (248 miles) to Nairobi for what police said was publishing 'false information' about a top police official on social media. He subsequently died at the Central Police Station after 'hitting his head against the cell wall,' police said. Amnesty International and local activists have questioned that account. The protesters occupied the road in Nairobi leading to the parliamentary building, where the national budget was due to be presented Thursday. At least two cars were set on fire in a street nearby. Police on Monday fired tear gas to disperse another protest demanding accountability for Ojwang's death. Authorities have since said an official investigation is underway. President William Ruto in a statement on Wednesday said Ojwang's death was 'heartbreaking and unacceptable.' 'I strongly condemn the actions and omissions, including any negligence or outright criminality, that may have contributed to his untimely death,' Ruto said. The blogger's death comes almost a year after several activists and protesters were killed and abducted by Kenyan police during finance bill protests. The rallies led to calls for the removal of Ruto, who has been criticized for what some say is his authoritarian streak. ___ Evelyne Musambi, The Associated Press

China unveils zero-tariff deal for Africa, capitalizing on Trump chaos
China unveils zero-tariff deal for Africa, capitalizing on Trump chaos

Globe and Mail

time15 hours ago

  • Globe and Mail

China unveils zero-tariff deal for Africa, capitalizing on Trump chaos

China has announced plans to eliminate all tariffs on imports from nearly every African country, bolstering its role as an attractive ally to countries suffering from the chaotic tariff policies of U.S. President Donald Trump. African countries were hit with some of the most severe penalties – including tariffs as high as 50 per cent – when Mr. Trump announced his trade plan in April. The increases were later rolled back to 10 per cent temporarily, but the threat of higher tariffs is still looming as Washington reviews its policies. Beijing, capitalizing on the Trump-related turmoil, is positioning itself as a friendly alternative to the United States. It announced Wednesday that it will introduce a zero-tariff policy for all imports from the 53 African countries with which it has diplomatic relations. The only exception is the tiny kingdom of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), which has relations with Taiwan. In a joint declaration after a high-level meeting in the Chinese city of Changsha this week, Chinese and African leaders announced plans to sign the zero-tariff deal as part of a new economic agreement. Without mentioning Mr. Trump by name, they complained of 'protectionism and economic bullying' and pledged to resist the pressure for unilateral trade concessions. 'China highly commends African countries' commitment to the basic principles of sovereignty, equality and justice, and to upholding a common position in the face of external pressure,' the joint statement said. 'We resolutely oppose any party reaching a deal of compromise at the expense of the interests of other countries.' U.S., China reach trade truce after two days of talks, Trump says The zero-tariff pledge is a significant expansion of China's earlier trade policy, announced last year, which eliminated tariffs on imports from 33 countries worldwide that are classified as least-developed. The earlier policy also ended tariffs on 98 per cent of products imported by China from 21 African countries. The new policy will replace this with the complete elimination of all tariffs on African countries, except Eswatini. Africa's least-developed countries, which already have full access to China without tariffs, will receive additional Chinese assistance to boost their exports, according to Beijing. The announcement was well timed. African countries have been increasingly hurt by Mr. Trump's decisions in recent months, and their efforts to strike deals with Washington have been largely futile, prompting many of them to seek ways to diversify their trade away from the U.S. China has already been Africa's top trading partner for the past 15 years, making it a logical choice for closer links now. Mr. Trump has alienated many Africans not only with his tariff policies, but also with other controversial decisions that disproportionately hurt the continent: travel bans, migration restrictions, foreign-aid cuts and a recently announced tax on overseas remittances, a key source of income in Africa. He has also engaged in verbal battles with a key African country, South Africa, falsely accusing it of 'genocide' against its white minority. Mr. Trump's tariffs have effectively killed an important U.S. trade program, the African Growth and Opportunity Act, which has created tens of thousands of jobs in 32 African countries over the past 25 years by granting duty-free access to the U.S. market for specified goods. The trade deal expires in September and is seen as unlikely to be extended. Trump ambushes South African President with false claims of white genocide during White House visit While the U.S. has been damaging its relations with African countries on multiple fronts, China has been assiduously cultivating those same countries with trade, investment and financing deals. 'The China-Africa relationship has been at its best in history,' Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a press conference last week. China's zero-tariff plan drew praise from African officials who attended the meeting in Changsha this week. Kenya's top diplomat, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, said the new Chinese tariff plan is creating 'strong momentum' for Africa. 'China continues to stand out as a steadfast partner and a powerful voice for the Global South, including the African continent,' Mr. Mudavadi said in a social-media post Wednesday. South Africa's Minister of International Relations, Ronald Lamola, said the trade discussions were 'very fruitful' at the Changsha meetings. 'This is a big opening up for us, particularly on market diversification,' he said in comments posted online by his department. With a report from James Griffiths in Hong Kong

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store