Burkina Faso: 62 people killed in northern town

<p>By Alaattin Dogru</p> <p>DAKAR, Senegal (AA) – Sixty-two people were killed this week in terrorist attacks and subsequent inter-communal clashes in northern Burkina Faso, a minister said late Wednesday. </p> <p>In a statement, Territorial Administration Minister Simeon Sawadogo said there were 62 deaths – 32 by terrorists and 30 due to community conflicts — in the town of Arbinda near the Mali border.</p> <p>Nine people were also taken hostage by militants. </p> <p>The inter-communal clashes occurred following the assassination of a religious leader, his eldest son and brother last week, Sawadogo said.</p> <p>Burkina Faso has been threatened by terrorist attacks since 2015.</p> <p>On Dec. 27, a terrorist attack on security forces in Sourou State in northwestern Burkina Faso left 10 gendarmes dead.</p> <p>Following the incident, a state of emergency was declared in seven of the country’s 13 administrative regions.</p> *Writing by Faruk Zorlu