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West and Central Africa: Weekly Regional Humanitarian Snapshot (31 May-06 June 2023)


Burkina Faso
NSAG attack on convoy kills 25 people

On 27th May, a commercial convoy travelling from Nouna to Dédougou under armed escort came under attack near Lekuy, Bourasso commune. NSAG elements reportedly ambushed the convoy, killing 15 VDPs from Nouna commune, eight national VDPs, two civilians, and wounded 23 people. The NSAG stole two pickups and a number of motorcycles. The convoy was transporting civilians to sit the national exam for the water and forestry recruitment. Since the beginning of May 2023, the province of Kossi has seen an upsurge in NSAG attacks, with an impact on the RN14 connecting Dédougou to Nouna.

This latest attack indicates the increasingly besieged status of Nouna, which hosts at least 7,950 displaced people, fleeing other recent attacks in the area.

Senegal
Sixteen dead in clashes between police and demonstrators

Scenes of rioting, property damage, hundreds of injuries, and arrests have unfolded since Senegalese opposition figure Ousmane Sonko was sentenced to two years in prison on 1st June. The official death toll has risen to sixteen. Several personalities and opposition members called for restraint and a resolution to the crisis, while the government condemned “acts of vandalism and banditry.

Communications remain difficult due to internet limitations, which intend to stop the spread of “messages of a violent and hateful nature, according to the officials

Nigeria
Nigeria suffers armed attacks on six villages resulting in 30 fatalities

The Nigerian law enforcement authorities have disclosed that an incident occurred on Saturday wherein several villages in the Sokoto region of the northwestern part of the country came under attack by armed assailants. This assault culminated in a tragic loss of at least thirty lives.

Authorities have reported that attacks was reprisals for the refusal of villagers to pay protection money to the bandit. The surge in such violent assaults is escalating as a pressing security issue in particular areas of Nigeria, leading to a mounting toll of deaths and kidnappings in recent times.

Guinea-Bissau
Highly anticipated legislative elections, one year after the president dissolved parliament

On Sunday, 4th June, the people of Guinea-Bissau voted in the legislative elections to renew the 102 seats in the National Assembly, which was dissolved over a year ago during an institutional crisis. The results are not expected until Tuesday evening at the earliest when a new prime minister will be appointed. According to the Centre for Democracy and Development, an African human rights organization, nearly 1 million voters were registered to elect more than 100 lawmakers from six parties.

No significant incidents have been reported, and citizens hope this vote will help set the country on the right path.

Source: reliefweb

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