According to reports on 29 April 2021, unidentified gunmen attacked Yattakou village — located in the Seno area of the Sahel region — on 26 April. At least 18 civilians were killed, and one other individual was severely injured. A security official stated that the attack was likely carried out by militants affiliated with the Islamist State (IS) group, who operate along the border with Niger.
Analyst Comment: The event in Yattakou village occurred on the same day that three foreign nationals were killed and a Burkinabe soldier was abducted in eastern Burkina Faso, near the town of Natiaboni. While no group has thus far claimed responsibility for this attack either, militant Islamist groups linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State actively operate in eastern Burkina Faso. The two events do not appear to be related, but together highlight the increasing incidence of attacks against both civilians and security forces across the country.
