In an early October massacre, at least 150 people, including many Christians, were killed in north-eastern Burkina Faso’s town of Manni, in what turned out to be a brutal terrorist rampage.
Days after the massacre, Aid to the Church in Need, a pontifical charity working for the cause of persecuted Christians globally, learned that the attack had occurred 6 October.
Manni is home to a large Catholic community, and many Christians, as well as Muslims, were killed in the massacre, ACN said on the organisation’s website.
Sources told ACN that the terrorists first cut mobile phone networks before attacking the local market, where many people had gathered after Sunday Mass.
“They then opened fire indiscriminately, looted shops and set fire to several buildings, burning some victims alive. The same sources reported that the next day, the perpetrators returned to attack medical staff and kill the many wounded in the city’s hospital,” ACN said.
A new incursion took place two days later, when the terrorists again invaded the town of Manni, massacring all the men they could find.
Many of the victims were residents from nearby villages who had sought refuge in Manni after being driven out of their homes by terrorists.
“The situation is beyond horrific,” one of the local sources told ACN. “But even if the terrorists burned everything, they didn’t burn our faith!”
In a 9 October message addressed to priests, consecrated persons and laity, Bishop Pierre Claver Malgo of Fada N’Gourma, described the attack as “barbaric” and expressed his “sincere compassion for all the bereaved families,” emphasising that “any threat to the dignity of man and to his life must touch the very heart” of the Catholic Church.
The bishop also stressed the importance of not losing heart and keeping hope alive “for a better tomorrow.”
The attack in Manni comes amid a continuing deterioration of the security situation in Burkina Faso, where armed extremist groups have intensified their offensive, targeting both security forces and civilians.
