Published on: 07/10/2022 – 21:22
Seven children died on the night of July 9-10 in the Savannah region on the Benin-Burkina Faso border, not far from Pendjari Park and the Pama Reserve. Armed groups regularly attack in this region, on the Burkinabe and Beninese sides, and in recent weeks there have been armed attacks on the Togolese side. Were these children victims of a terrorist attack or a mistake? At the moment we really don’t know what happened.
With our correspondent in Lomé, Peter Sassou Dogbe
The tragedy happened in Natigou, in the north-east of Tône prefecture, in the savannah region. Children on bicycles were returning from a ball late at night when they were found dead.
There is still confusion over the deaths of these children, aged 10 to 15. Several local witnesses testified to hearing two explosions that could resemble anti-personnel mines during the night. When they arrived at the scene, the bodies of barely recognizable children lay on the ground.
Other sources contacted claim that the children were hit by flying machine fire.
Explosion of an improvised device or shooting of drones, impossible to know at the moment what really happened that night. But the chief of staff of the Bundeswehr pointed out in a press release that investigations were being launched to clarify the circumstances surrounding the explosion and to identify the perpetrators.
She also urges the people of the region to avoid unnecessary night travel to respect the security emergency declared since the last armed attacks in the savannah region.