Aid to the Church in Need (AIN) reported that at least 34 people have been killed in two armed attacks by terrorist groups against civilian populations in the town of Bourasso, in the diocese of Nouna.
Newsroom (09/09/2022 9:122 PM, Gaudium Press) The violence in Africa continues to grow. This time it was in the town of Bourasso, in the Boucle du Mouhoun region of Burkina Faso. One of the survivors reported to the religious organization Aid to the Church in Need how the massacre occurred:
“The terrorists arrived by motorcycle in the town of Bourasso on Sunday, July 3, around 5 p.m., but left without doing anything. However, they returned in the evening and threatened the residents of the area, in the courtyard in front of the church.”
They begged not to be killed, but the gunmen ignored the request and shot at the worshippers.
“They killed fourteen people in front of the church,” reported a priest from the cathedral parish of Nouna, located 20 kilometers from Bourasso. “They then went to the village and killed another twenty people,” including many Christians and followers of traditional African religion.
“The procedure is always the same, the terrorists arrive by motorcycle, two on each, hooded and armed. At night it is difficult to know how many there are, no doubt several dozen,” the priest explained and stressed, “We are terrified…these people have nothing to do with politics or terrorist groups. They are attacked when they cannot defend themselves. It’s a total mess.”
The priest, who escaped a terrorist ambush in this region on May 9, said, “I am really very sad…I knew almost all the victims.”
On the morning of the attack, the diocese of Nouna had celebrated a Mass in thanksgiving for the ordination of two of its priests. The diocese was also giving thanks for the seven years of service of its permanent catechist who lives in Bourasso. They could not imagine that that night, some of their parishioners, including the catechist’s two brothers, would be killed by the terrorists.
“Despite everything, we have not lost hope. We have the courage to live the days that God gives us… Here, when we get up, we know we are alive, but we don’t know if we will still be alive at night,” the priest stressed.
Compiled by Teresa Joseph
