Anti-jihadist operations in the “zones of military interest”, these protected forest parks located in the Sahel and eastern regions of Burkina Faso, will soon begin. Populations had settled there illegally, an opportunity seized by armed terrorist groups to take refuge there, according to officials of the Burkinabè armed forces. These operations will aim to clean up these sites from which armed groups carry out attacks on national territory.
With our correspondent in Ouagadougou, Yaya Boudani
The commander of operations in the context of the anti-jihadist fight warns that anyone who is now in these areas of military interest will be considered an enemy. Populations still occupying protected forest areas in the Sahel and East regions had two weeks to leave. The ultimatum has now expired. Those who lived there were received in camps and taken care of, explains the Minister for Humanitarian Action.
According to the national theater operations commander, messages in local languages were broadcast in the areas concerned to explain to the populations the implications of these measures as well as the various actions to be taken.
” Anyone who is in one of the areas of military interest will be considered hostile »
In addition, for several weeks, the governors of the regions concerned have banned the circulation of large displacement motorcycles and tricycles. In these prohibition notes, the governors warn that ” anyone violating these measures is exposed to the risks associated with military operations “.
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Collateral victims, these people will also be prosecuted in court and punished in accordance with the texts in force according to the note. ” Now anyone who is in one of the areas of military interest will be considered hostile “, decided the lieutenant-colonel Yves Didier Bamouni.