Burkina Faso says 170 dead in village ‘executions’

The government of Burkina Faso has confirmed that at least 170 people have been killed in what appear to be targeted attacks on a village in the country’s volatile north.

The attacks, which took place in the village of Solhan, near the border with Niger, have been described as “executions” by local officials. The government has declared a 72-hour period of mourning in response to the massacre.

According to a government statement, armed individuals carried out the attacks on Friday evening, targeting both the civilian population and local defense forces. The death toll is expected to rise as more bodies are discovered in the area.

The violence in Burkina Faso’s north has been escalating in recent years, with armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State carrying out frequent attacks on civilians and security forces. The government has struggled to contain the violence, which has forced thousands of people to flee their homes.

International condemnation of the attacks has been swift, with the United Nations and various countries issuing statements of solidarity with Burkina Faso. The government has vowed to bring the perpetrators of the massacre to justice and to step up its efforts to protect vulnerable communities in the region.