The region of northern Burkina Faso, which has been ravaged by jihadist terrorists, saw no less than 14 fatalities last week.

On Thursday, “a bunch of terrorists” assaulted the village of Aorema, which is close to the town of Ouahigouya, a local told our correspondent. A security source who did not provide a toll confirmed the attack.
A source claimed, “The attackers started fire on a bunch of young people” eating at a roadside eatery.

“Seven people died at the scene, while three others passed away after being injured by stray bullets in their homes. Two further victims of wounds, according to the source.

Another source claimed that more victims later died from their injuries bringing the total number of fatalities to 14.

The source claimed that “the terrorists” had previously entered the town and issued a warning to children not to congregate at the eatery.

“Operations were underway” against the attackers, according to a security forces source who verified the attack.

The day following the attack, the government imposed a 10 pm to 5 am curfew in the North region and some areas of the Center-East region until March 31.

When jihadists invaded Burkina Faso from neighboring Mali in 2015, more than 10,000 people died there. Also, more than two million people have fled their homes, and the militants control at least a third of the nation.

Army officers who were upset that the government had failed to push back the jihadists in response to the carnage staged two coups last year.

Captain Ibrahim Traore, the nation’s most recent leader, came to power in September at the age of 34 and promised to reclaim territory that the jihadists had taken.

But, since the beginning of the year, attacks have picked up significantly, resulting in numerous weekly casualties among security personnel and the general populace.

One of the largest losses was on February 17, when 51 troops were killed in an ambush in the far north, which the Islamic State organization claimed responsibility for.