ARMED men yesterday morning (8/2/23) shot and killed two Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) medical staff in the Boucle du Mouhoun region, in northwestern Burkina Faso.
By Michael Gwarisa
The now deceased were on board an MSF vehicle, clearly identified as such, carrying a medical team of four on the road between Dédougou and Touga. The other two managed to escape the attack.The two victims, both from Burkina Faso, had been employed by MSF as a driver, since July 2021, and a logistics supervisor, since June 2020. They were 39 and 34 years old, respectively.
In a statement, MSF announced that they were suspending its medical activities in the Boucle du Mouhoun region until the organisation will have a better understanding of this tragic event.
We are shocked and outraged by this killing. This is a deliberate and intentional attack on a clearly identified humanitarian team, during its medical work, explains Dr Isabelle Defourny, president of MSF. Our priority is to support the two colleagues who survived the attack, as well as the families and loved ones of our missing colleagues. We are also going to engage with all the parties to the conflict to understand what happened.”
Burkina Faso is facing an unprecedented political, security and humanitarian crisis, resulting in the displacement of nearly two million people following violence and fighting between armed groups and government forces.
