28 men found shot dead in Burkina Faso on New Year’s Eve

Twenty-eight men have been found dead in the north-western town of Nouna, Burkina Faso.

In a statement on Monday, Rimtalba Ouedraogo, presidential spokesperson, said an investigation had commenced getting to the bottom of the “unacceptable violence”.

He called for calm and said the country was committed to protecting its citizens, adding that the government would amp up its efforts in curbing terrorism.

“The government was informed of a tragedy that occurred in Nouna, capital of the Kossi province on the night of December 30 to 31, 2022 having made many victims. The first information received by the government reported 28 people killed,” the statement reads.

“An investigation was immediately opened by the competent judicial services to elucidate the circumstances of the tragedy and situate all responsibilities. In pending the completion of the investigation, the government calls on all the population to be calm and reassures that all measures are being taken to shed light on this unacceptable violence.

“The government is in solidarity with the suffering of bereaved families and expresses its compassion. This tragedy occurs at a time when Burkina Faso has embarked on an operation of mobilisation of the whole of the people for a unity of action in the fight against terrorism.

“These events in Nouna must not divert us from this priority objective of union in the diversity of sons and daughters of our nation for homeland and freedom.

“The government remains firmly committed to ensuring the protection of all Burkinabe without distinction. I reassure the opinion that it remains fundamentally opposed to all forms of abuses or violations of human rights.”

CISC, a rights group in the country, alleged that the dead men found in Nouna were civilians targeted by a civil defence force recently launched by the government to help fight insurgency.

TheCable could not immediately verify the claim.