Security situation in Burkina Faso ‘number one concern’- French Ambassador

The French ambassador to Burkina Faso, Luc Hallade on Tuesday expressed concern about the worsening security situation in Burkina Faso amid an upsurge of terrorist attacks.

“The security of the country is the number one concern for the Burkina authorities and thus it is also ours for the reason that we are partners of Burkina authorities,” the ambassador told reporters.

Hallade made the remarks after meeting with Ousseni Compaore, the Burkina Faso minister of security earlier in the day in the capital Ouagadougou.

The French diplomat said that he exchanged views with the minister of security on security cooperation, notably the strengthening of the operational capacity of the defense and security forces of Burkina Faso in the fight against terrorism.

Since 2015, Burkina Faso has been facing a spate of terrorist attacks, in which more than 500 people were killed and over 280,000 displaced including more than 9,000 pupils.

In the last few days, the country has seen an upsurge of terrorist attacks, which sparked panic that cause people in the region to leave their home for safer places in the country.

To curb terrorism, the state of emergency or curfew has been declared in many regions and the army has scaled up nationwide counter-terrorism operations.

However, at least eight civilians were killed on Monday evening in an attack by unidentified gunmen in Titao village in the northern Loroum province of the country, according to local reports.

On Sept. 28-29, about 20 people were killed in villages of Zimtenga and Bourzanga municipalities in central-northern Burkina Faso.

Source: GNA