Islamic terrorists massacre 150 in Burkina Faso

Worshippers attend a Mass at Ouagadougou’s Catholic cathedral on June 12, 2022, in Burkina Faso. The country has been grappling with Islamist terrorism since 2015 and Christian communities live in fear of furhter attacks. / Credit: OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT/AFP via Getty Images

ACI Prensa Staff, Oct 19, 2024 / 08:00 am (CNA).

More than 150 people, including many Christians, have been massacred by Islamic terrorists in Burkina Faso, local sources told the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN).

On Oct. 6, an Islamic terrorist attack took place in the town of Manni in the African country’s eastern region. For several months, the insurgents have increased their brutality and their determination to spread terror, which has allowed them to control about half of the territory, ACN reported.

Despite the massacre, which local Christians describe as “beyond horrible,” the community of believers said without hesitation that “even if the terrorists burned everything, they didn’t burn our faith!”

Local sources told ACN that the terrorists first cut off all telephone communications before attacking the market, where many people had gathered after attending Sunday Mass. They then fired indiscriminately, looted shops, and set fire to several buildings, burning some victims alive.

The next day, the terrorists returned to attack medical staff and kill the wounded who were being treated. Then, on Oct. 8, they returned to the village again, this time killing all the men they could find.

ACN reported that many of the victims were people from other localities who had been displaced by similar attacks and found refuge in Manni. At the end of September, a priest from the Rollo district told the pontifical foundation that they have received 2,000 people, including Catholics and Muslims, displaced by Islamic terrorism since May 8, 2023.

“When the extremists arrive, either they kill the whole population, or — having killed several people at random to show that they are serious — they force the people to leave their houses before nightfall,” Father André Poré said on that occasion.

On Oct. 9, Pierre Claver Malgo, the bishop of the Diocese of Fada N’Gourma, sent a message to the priests, consecrated persons, and laypeople of his jurisdiction in which he described the attacks as “barbaric” and expressed his “sincere compassion for all the grieving families.”

He also recalled that “any threat to human dignity and life must touch the very heart of the Church” and emphasized the importance of not losing hope “for a better tomorrow.”

According to ACN, Burkina Faso has the highest level of extremist violence in the entire Sahel region as reflected in attacks such as those in Manni and Barsalogho at the end of August, where it is estimated that at least 400 people were killed by these armed Islamic groups.

However, the Catholic Church remains steadfast in its promotion of peace and fraternity between Christians and Muslims, as expressed by Poré, parish priest of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus in Rollo: “We are united and are holding many more interfaith meetings these days. When distributing aid to the displaced, the parish does not distinguish between religious groups, and this has impressed the Muslims and strengthened our ties.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.