Question Period Note: Armed attack in Burkina Faso

On June 11, 2022, an attack by armed men in Burkina Faso killed at least 100 civilians.

• Canada strongly condemns this terrorist attack in Seytenga and expresses its condolences to the people of Burkina Faso and the families of the victims.
• Canada supports the people of Burkina Faso through its development program, humanitarian assistance and peace and security support to address the root causes of violent extremism and insecurity.

• Last April, Minister Sajjan announced $82 million in humanitarian assistance to address growing food and nutrition needs, and to help contain famine in the Sahel and Lake Chad regions, including Burkina Faso.

On the night of June 11-12, 2022, a terrorist group committed a massacre in the commune of Seytenga in northern Burkina Faso, between Dori and the border with Niger. The latest official death toll is 79 civilians and is expected to rise, with unconfirmed reports of more than 100 dead. In addition, on June 9, an attack on the military detachment in Seytenga killed ten members of the Defense and Security Forces (DSF). The government announced on Tuesday, June 14, the beginning of a three-day national mourning period. The Canadian Embassy in Burkina Faso posted a message of condolences on Twitter. Small and large-scale terrorist attacks have been an almost daily occurrence in Burkina Faso since at least 2019. This relentless violence has displaced 1.9 million people or 80% of all internally displaced people in the Sahel. This is the second deadliest attack recorded in Burkina Faso, following the June 2021 attack on the village of Solhan, where between 130 and 160 people were killed.

Following a military coup on January 24, 2022, Burkina Faso has since been ruled by a transitional government led by LCol Damiba, President of the Transition. The coup d'etat took place without bloodshed. With a population weary of insecurity, no popular movement came to the defense of President Kaboré, who was strongly criticized for his inability to provide security on his territory. In response to the coup, Minister Saijan approved the decision to suspend direct financial assistance to the government of Burkina Faso. Canada continues to provide international development, humanitarian and peace and security assistance through our multilateral partners and NGOs to meet the needs of the people of Burkina Faso and strengthen peace, stability and social cohesion. Burkina Faso is currently negotiating with ECOWAS to agree on a reasonable timeframe for the transition back to constitutional order, while Burkina Faso is proposing 36 months for the holding of elections. President Damiba had justified his coup by the need to respond to the terrorist threat and made security his top priority.

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