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Yatenga: Nationals of Karma give their version of the April 20 killings - Uganda Newswire

Yatenga: Nationals of Karma give their version of the April 20 killings

Nationals of Karma have, in a press release, given their version of the facts on the killing of April 20, 2023 and which would involve people dressed in Burkinabe military uniforms. Read the full press release by clicking on the link.

Press release

On Thursday, April 20, 2023, our village, Karma located in the municipality of Barga and about fifteen kilometers from the city of Ouahigouya was the target of a cowardly and barbaric killing.

Since then, false information has been distilled, particularly on social networks by people whose real intentions we do not know.

In view of the seriousness of the situation, we come through this press release to provide clarification to national and international opinion on what should be called the "drama of Karma".

Indeed, on the morning of Thursday April 20, 2023, precisely around 7:30 a.m., our village was surrounded by armed men who came in large numbers and dressed in Burkinabe military uniforms.

They were on motorcycles, in vehicles (pick up and armored) and we could also see a combat tank.

Some villagers, happy to see "our soldiers", came out of their compounds to welcome them. Unfortunately, this joy will be cut short when the first shots ring out, also causing the first victims.

Disbanding and scrambling immediately replaced the joy of seeing “these soldiers”.

Several people are killed on the spot without any other form of trial. As for those who had had the chance to join their concessions and lock themselves in silence and total fear, they will be summoned to go out and meet in several groups, doors are broken down, hangars burned and CNIB recovered .

According to the testimonies of the few survivors, here is what these “soldiers” affirmed during their dirty work:

“How long have you been here? how is it that the neighboring villages have cleared out while you are still living there? why didn't you join Ouahigouya? are there armed men in the village? your village is a sieve for armed groups, you are all accomplices and you will be treated as such”

Several groups of villagers were executed on the spot, wounded who tried to flee were pursued and finished off.

According to some survivors, their sub-groups who had witnessed the executions of other groups were waiting in the greatest fear for their turn.

However, they will be saved thanks to a group of "soldiers" who obviously did not approve of the attitude of some of their companions.

One of the latter, around 12 p.m., would even have brought them water in a 20-litre can but while reiterating the order not to try to flee.

During this time, the executions continued in the other districts of the village like that of Moiga Yiri whose horror reached its peak.

In fact, women, children and the elderly have not been spared from the murderous madness of "these soldiers".

Some women were executed while carrying their babies on their backs, whose chances of survival at the time of writing are almost non-existent.

It was around 2 p.m. that the column of “soldiers” left the village while heading towards that of Dinguiri located north of Karma.

It was therefore after this departure that the survivors were able to leave the village. The injured were taken to the CHUR of Ouahigouya.

To date, we are not able to draw up an exact assessment, but according to the survivors, there are more than a hundred dead and several wounded by bullets, including women and children.

Given the urgency of the situation, we got in touch with the administrative and judicial authorities in the hope of getting support.

However, apart from the communiqué of the Prosecutor of Faso at the TGI of Ouahigouya announcing the opening of an investigation into these events, no other reaction on the part of the authority, particularly in terms of support, has been recorded.

In addition, on the morning of April 24, 2023, we tried, defying all risks, to go and bury our parents, but the army had blocked the road at the Ouahigouya-Youba axis, prohibiting users from reaching the village of Karma.

It should be noted that the laptops were removed and certain photos deleted before being returned.

From the above, we nationals of the village of Karma:

– We want to enlighten national and international opinion on the horrors suffered by our village;

We deplore what happened in our village;

Condemn the defamatory and erroneous statements circulating on social networks;

Let us invite the authors of these remarks to have the fear of God and to sympathize with our pain;

Let us call on the authority to meet the conditions so that we can proceed to the burial of our parents whose bodies are still lying in nature;

We remain available for any requests that may contribute to the manifestation of the truth;

Call on the authorities to support us in caring for the wounded and survivors;

Let us demand all the light around this affair.

For more details, we invite all the press to a press conference to be held on Saturday April 29, 2023 at the headquarters of MBDHP Yatenga from 10:00 a.m.

Done in Ouahigouya on April 25, 2023 For village nationals.

For Karma nationals in Ouahigouya BELEM Daouda TEL: 76517551.

For survivors of the events BELEM Salif TEL: 72547102.

Source: Burkina Information Agency

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