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35 Civilians Die in Burkina Faso as Vehicle Hits IED, Atleast 37 Injured

The vehicle was heading towards Burkina Faso's capital Ouagadougou carrying supplies in the restive north

35 Civilians Die in Burkina Faso as Vehicle Hits IED, Atleast 37 Injured

Sentinel Digital Desk

OUAGADOUGOU: 35 people lost their lives and at least 37 people were injured in the landlocked West African nation Burkina Faso as the vehicle they were traveling in hit an IED on Monday, the governor of Sahel said in a statement.

The landlocked nation is in a grip of a 7-year-old insurgency that has claimed more than 2000 lives and forced 19 lakh people to move out of the country.

Monday's incident took place as the military-led convoy was carrying supplies between towns in the restive north on a road between Bourzanga to Djibo, according to a statement by Sahel region governor Rodolphe Sorgo.

According to preliminary reports, 35 people were killed and 37 injured. Searches are on if there are any more casualties.

According to a statement, the escorts immediately secured the area and helped the victims. The statement also added that the vehicle was heading toward Burkina Faso's capital Ouagadougou.

A security source said that the supply convoy was composed of civilians, drivers, and traders.

According to a local resident of the area, the blast also damaged more than a dozen vehicles which included buses and personal vehicles.

Another resident of the area said that "Most of the victims were traders who were going to the capital city of Ouagadougou to buy new supplies and sell some of their own supplies and also there were students who were traveling to the capital city for the new school year starting soon".

The West African nation Burkina Faso is marred with insurgency as more than 40 percent of the country is outside government control. Burkina's ruling junta, which seized power in January, has declared the fight against the insurgency a top priority of the nation.

The country has seen numerous such attacks this year and one of the bloodiest this year was in one of Burkina Faso's important communes Seytenga where 86 people had to lose their lives.

Also Read: 10 killed in attack on a church in unstable West African nation of Burkina Faso

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