U.N. SECRETARY GENERAL DENOUNCES DEADLY ATTACK IN NORTHERN BURKINA FASO

[Africa News\Burkina Faso]
The Secretary‑General strongly condemns the attack conducted by unidentified gunmen on 24 December in Arbinda, Soum province, northern Burkina Faso. He expresses his deep condolences to the families of the victims.
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The fall of Libya has emboldened racist fanatical terrorists who now represent a serious threat to the stability of West African countries in the Sahel, like Mali and Burkina Faso.

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary‑General António Guterres:

The Secretary‑General strongly condemns the attack conducted by unidentified gunmen on 24 December in Arbinda, Soum province, northern Burkina Faso. He expresses his deep condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a speedy recovery to the injured.

The Secretary‑General conveys the solidarity of the United Nations to the Government and people of Burkina Faso and reiterates the continued support of the United Nations to the Governments of Burkina Faso and the other countries of the Sahel region in their efforts to fight terrorism and violent extremism.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson on Wednesday, the UN chief expressed his deep condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to those injured in the incursion, which took place in Arbinda, Soum province.

Moreover, Mr. Guterres conveyed the solidarity of the UN to the Government and people of the West African nation. “He also reiterated the continued support of the United Nations to the Governments of Burkina Faso and the other countries of the Sahel region in their efforts to fight terrorism and violent extremism”, said the statement.

According to news reports, suspected Islamist militants on motorbikes killed dozens of civilians, the majority of whom were women, in an attack that lasted several hours. Although jihadists have been active for years in neighboring Mali, the historically-calm landlocked nation has recently been experiencing a spate of violence. And despite Western efforts to help regional governments combat insurgency, the violence continues.