Fri. Mar 29th, 2024
The United Nations chief called for the "immediate and unconditional release" of all 50 women and girls abducted in Burkina FasoImage Credits: Michele Cattani / AFP

Rebels in the northern province of Soum, Burkina Faso, abducted around 50 women and girls on January 12th and 13th, the government said.

This horrific crime occurred while the women foraged for wild fruits outside the village of Liki, about 15 kilometers from Aribinda in the Sahel region, allegedly committed by an armed group.

Previously, in the Monday statement, Rodolphe Sorgho, the governor of the Sahel region, said: “As soon as their disappearance was announced, efforts were launched to find all of these innocent victims safe and sound.” (Aljazeera)

On the following day, the Secretary General of the United Nations (UN) called for the “immediate and unconditional release” of the abducted women and girls, as UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq noted in the statement.

The UN human rights chief, Volker Turk, stated: “I am alarmed that dozens of women out searching for food for their families were abducted in broad daylight, in what could be the first such attack deliberately targeting women in Burkina Faso.”

“I call for the immediate and unconditional release of all the abducted women and for the national authorities to promptly conduct an effective, impartial, and independent investigation to identify those responsible and hold them accountable.”

This area of Burkina Faso has been besieged by the presence of armed groups since early 2019, exacerbating residents’ access to fundamental needs like food, water, and services.

Since 2015, the landlocked country has been grappling with an insurgency led by Islamist armed groups allied with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (ISIS). As a result of the series of violence, the number of internally displaced people in the country has been growing, and the authorities are struggling to provide for them.

In the last few years, abduction has become more visible, as throughout 2021, the Islamist armed group abducted civilians, including health workers, village chiefs, and the displaced. Many were then killed, suggesting that the inhumane crime was done to instill fear.

Data presented in a press release by UNICEF noted that in 2021, more than 300,000 children were already out of school due to the closure of 2,244 schools. However, the purpose of the abductions is not confined to instilling fear among the masses, as armed Islamist groups have increased the recruitment of children. While, as the human rights chief flagged, “it could be the first such attack” that targets only women and girls.

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