Medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) announced the suspension of operations in Djibo, Burkina Faso, on Monday. This decision follows a surge in attacks by militant groups in the region.
Djibo, located near the borders of Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali, has faced increasing violence over the last two years. The city has become a refuge for tens of thousands fleeing violence, with its population rising from 60,000 to over 200,000 in just five years.
MSF reported recurrent attacks targeting health centers, water distribution points, and their facilities. “Conditions are deteriorating in Burkina, and we are not feeling the support of local authorities,” stated an MSF official to AFP.
The organization’s office in Djibo was hit by gunfire in July, damaging water supply stations it had established. Moussa Ousman, head of MSF’s West and Central African programs, emphasized the need for adequate security. He expressed that this was essential to support communities affected by ongoing insecurity.
This year’s violence has sharply increased incidents attributed to armed groups. MSF previously halted operations across Burkina Faso in February 2023 after two of its medics were killed in the northwest.
Burkina Faso remains one of the world’s poorest nations, grappling with an insurgency that began in neighboring Mali in 2015. According to the non-governmental group ACLED, the conflict has resulted in over 26,000 deaths since its onset, with more than 6,000 fatalities reported this year alone.
