Source: www.persecution.org
Date: December 19, 2023
Burkina Faso (International Christian Concern) — On Monday, Dec. 18, the government of Burkina Faso addressed several videos that have recently been released displaying government officials abusing the people of Burkina Faso. The government declared these videos as fakes created by jihadists and urged the people not to “give credence” to them.
The majority of attacks on civilians occurred in the Djibo region, which is close in proximity to Niger and Mali and is heavily controlled by multiple jihadist groups, including groups affiliated with the Islamic State and al-Qaida.
The struggling government of Burkina Faso has fought to maintain power, including through a treacherous fight defending Djibo on the 26th of November. “On that day, jihadists carried out a massive attack against an army detachment in Djibo, killing several soldiers, according to security sources. No official figures were released, but the state media claimed that the army’s response had ‘neutralized more than 400 terrorists,’” reported AfricaNews.
With the new widely spread media depicting government officials carrying out mass civilian massacres, the government is trying to save its social reverence while also discouraging further approval of terrorist organizations who depict themselves as heroes while also being held responsible for the deaths of more than 17,000 soldiers and civilians in Burkina Faso since 2015.
Christians continue to be terrified in the face of these dangers as it has become difficult to know what to believe. With a population of 61 percent Muslim and 23 percent Christian, Christians are largely outnumbered and face potential violence from all sides.
HOW TO PRAY: Pray for an end to religiously motivated violence in Burkina Faso. Pray for the gospel to spread in this region. Pray for the Christians residing in Burkina Faso as they face dissecting propaganda from both the government and jihadist groups. Pray that Christians are able to band together and use multiple resources, including that of prayer, to determine what is truth. Praise God that he has the ability to clarify all things and will always stand on the side of true justice.