Burkina Faso: The detrimental impact of jihadist attacks

In the night of 16 June 2023, jihadists attacked the village of Sara, 100 kilometers from Bobo Dioulasso in the north. As reported by Le Monde on 20 June 2023, about a dozen villagers were killed and several more were wounded. The attack comes less than a month after a pastor and six others were killed in a 4pm attack on Molokadau village (about 60km from Bobo Dioulassou) on 25 May 2023, as reported by Open Doors Canada on 1 June 2023.

World Watch Research analyst Yonas Dembele comments: “In addition to the ongoing occurrence of village attacks, it is important to highlight the specific targeting of Christians over time and the detrimental impact this has on their communities. The targeted violence has resulted in the closure and destruction of Christian schools and further disrupts education. Not only are Christian students thereby deprived of their right to education; the loss of educational institutions disrupts the social fabric and diminishes the prospects of progress and resilience among Christian communities. The deliberate targeting of Christians demonstrates the intention of the Islamic militant groups to undermine religious freedom and impose their own Islamist ideology. Addressing the security concerns and protecting the rights of Christians are imperative steps for the government to take in promoting stability, fostering religious tolerance, and rebuilding affected communities which can then thrive and contribute to the overall development of the country.”