At least 170 people executed in Burkina Faso village attacks

According to various reports from AFP, at least 170 people were killed in attacks on three villages in northern Burkina Faso. The victims included women and young children, with survivors reporting this information to AFP. Authorities have yet to release an official death toll for the attacks. Burkina Faso has been dealing with a jihadist insurgency led by rebels affiliated with al Qaeda. On the same day as these attacks, separate incidents occurred at a mosque and a Catholic church that left additional people dead. However, local security sources stated that these attacks were not related to the incidents in the villages. Aly Benjamin Coulibaly is appealing for witnesses to help identify those responsible for the attacks on Komsilga, Nordin, and Soro. The country's army seized power in 2022, but more than a third of Burkina Faso remains under insurgent control, and it is unclear which group was behind these specific attacks.