Burkina Faso government on Friday said as many as 46 people are so far known to have died in ethnic violence.
Since the beginning of the new year, there have been clashes between ethnic groups in a community called Yirgou.
On Monday armed men were reported to have stormed Yirgou launching an attack on people of the Mossi ethnic group.
The government said seven people were killed in that attack. On Tuesday there was a reprisal attack from Yirgou residents.
They also killed 39 people in Fulani herding communities across the region. Government officials say the clashes are being investigated.
Spokesperson Remis Dandjinou in a statement on Friday described as “despicable” an attempt to divide the country.
Insecurity in Sahel region
Ethnic clashes are becoming deadly in the Sahel region. There have been similar clashes in neighboring Mali where fighting is fueled by the activities of Islamist militants.
Just this year 37 people in central Mali were killed by armed men. Those killed are reportedly from the Fulani ethnic group.
Some Fulani communities are accused of hiding some of these militants who continue to launch deadly attacks.
Source: Africafeeds.com
