Home » News » Dismayed by fresh attacks in Burkina Faso, ACN calls for prayer

Dismayed by fresh attacks in Burkina Faso, ACN calls for prayer

Many people have been killed in a new series of attacks in the parish of Tansila, in the Diocese of Nouna. Fr Jean-Pierre Keita, a young priest and ACN project partner, lost several members of his family.

At the end of January, several villages in the Burkinabé parish of Tansila, near the border with Mali, once again became the targets of terrorist attacks. This report comes from Fr Jean-Pierre Keita, who visited the international headquarters of the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) nearly six months ago and gave a press conference about the dramatic situation in the Diocese of Nouna, alongside a fellow priest.

A statue of the Virgin Mary desecrated in a terrorist attack on Tanzila parish in April 2024
A statue of the Virgin Mary desecrated in a terrorist attack on Tanzila parish in April 2024

On 25 January, more than 200 terrorists attacked the villages of Toma, Kellé and Lanfiéra. At least 26 people were killed, including six Christians. The attackers set fire to houses and forced the villagers to flee. Six days later, on 31 January, a further attack took place, resulting in several more deaths, again including Christians.  ACN has learned that tragically Fr Jean-Pierre’s father and several other family members were among the victims of the attacks.

The parish of Tansila includes 37 villages, about a third of whose inhabitants are Christians. In recent years, it has repeatedly been subjected to cruel terrorist attacks. In the face of this situation, which seems hopeless, Fr Jean-Pierre calls for prayer: “Please pray for the conversion of hearts, so that everyone may become a peacemaker. Pray also for the government in Burkina Faso, the defence and security forces and the Volunteers for the Defence of the Fatherland, so that their daily efforts may bear fruit for peace, reconciliation and social cohesion. Our prayers are also with the worldwide victims of terrorism. May they rest in peace.”

Prayer is more important than ever for peace to return to Burkina Faso.
Prayer is more important than ever for peace to return to Burkina Faso.

ACN is deeply saddened by this renewed tragedy and joins in Fr Jean-Pierre’s call for prayer. The charity asks all benefactors to pray especially for the young priest, a project partner of ACN, in these moments of grief, as well as for his deceased relatives and other victims.

 

Don't miss the latest updates!

Gaza: First step towards peace after 733 days of war

While indirect talks are taking place in Egypt between Israeli…

Rome to host official launch of Religious Freedom Report 2025

Religious and public leaders will be gathering on October 21…

Papal envoy carries solidarity to the Christians of war-torn Sudan

Archbishop Séamus Patrick Horgan, Apostolic Nuncio to South Sudan, has…

In the east of Burkina Faso, still many problems as term starts

While the security situation in Burkina Faso has improved slightly,…

From Angola to Vietnam, enthusiasm with “One million children praying the Rosary” campaign

ACN’s yearly campaign, added to the Holy Father’s appeal to…

Church clings to life amid chaos in Gaza

Aid to the Church in Need echoes Pope Leo XIV’s…

List of News

Gaza: First step towards peace after 733 days of war

While indirect talks are taking place in Egypt between Israeli envoys and Hamas, the hope for a beginning of peace is cautiously laying roots in the diocese of the Holy...

Fr Hugo Alaniz recounts a night of explosions and fear in Aleppo: “People are very afraid, we don’t know what is going to happen”

In the midst of a new wave of fighting, the Argentine priest describes hours of anguish in Aleppo. His parish has once again become a refuge for dozens of families....

Rome to host official launch of Religious Freedom Report 2025

Religious and public leaders will be gathering on October 21 at the Pontifical Patristic Institute Augustinianum in Rome for the worldwide presentation of the latest edition of the Report on...