Photo : AFP
NIAS Area Studies
AFRICA MONITOR
Photo : AFP
IN BRIEF
by Anu Maria Joseph
Burkina Faso: At least 60 civilians killed in armed men attack
On 24 April, Al Jazeera reported that at least 60 civilians were killed in an attack in the village of Karma in northern Burkina Faso. A Prosecutor, Lamine Kabore, citing information from the Ouahigouya police station said that the perpetrators were wearing the uniforms of the Burkinabe armed forces. He said: “The wounded have been evacuated and are currently being taken care of within our health facilities.” Several active armed groups are believed to control 40 per cent of the country. In the beginning of April, the Burkinabe military government had announced a “general mobilisation” against the jihadist groups active in the country. (“Dozens killed in Burkina Faso attack near Mali border,” Al Jazeera, 24 April 2023)
Kenya: At least 47 bodies belonging to a Christian cult exhumated
On 24 April, BBC reported on Kenyan police exhumating 47 bodies near the coastal town of Malindi. The bodies are said to belong to a Christian cult, the Good News International Church. Cult leader, Paul Makenxi Nthenge was arrested previously after being alleged of forcing his followers to starve themselves to death in order to “meet jesus.” Kenyan Minister of Interior, Kithkure Kindiki said that nearly 800 acres of the forest had been sealed off and declared as a crime scene. (Kenya cult deaths: 47 bodies found in investigation into 'starvation cult',” BBC, 24 April 2023)
Sudan: EU evacuates 1000 citizens; US deploys disaster response team
On 24 April, BBC reported on the European Union foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell’s statement, which said that more than 1000 European Union citizens were evacuated from Sudan amid the fighting between the rival military factions. He added that the EU will continue to push for a peace deal to end the crisis. The same day, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) deployed a disaster response expert team to coordinate with the humanitarian response team in Sudan. The head of the agency Samantha Power stated: “The United States demands that the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces abide by the three-day Eid al-Fitr ceasefire to which they have agreed, end this reckless bloodshed, facilitate humanitarian access, comply with international humanitarian law.” (“Over 1,000 EU citizens evacuated from Sudan, Sudan: US deploying disaster response team,” BBC, 24 April 2023)