Guterres extended his condolences to the victims’ families and reiterated the UN’s solidarity with the government and people of this African country amid growing insecurity in its efforts to fight extreme violence and reinforce social cohesion, Spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

The attack, perpetrated on Monday against the village of Kodyel, in Komondjari province, was seemingly a revenge for the recruitment of volunteers from self-defense groups by the authorities of the area.

AIB news agency from Burkina Faso reported that hundreds of armed people attacked the village and slaughtered all men who lived there.

For their part, official sources claimed that self-defense militiamen, who reinforced operations of the security forces against terrorism, killed 11 suspects in Kodyel, during a mission to respond to the attack perpetrated by extremists.

Increasing violence by terrorist factions and growing tensions between communities are currently complicating stability in Burkina Faso, after the reelection of President Roch Marc Christian Kabore in the December elections.

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