Spanish authorities have announced that two Spanish journalists and an Irish national have been killed in a jihadist attack,;while on an anti-poaching mission in Burkina Faso.
The two Spaniards, 44-year-old David Beriáin, a reporter, and 47-year-old Roberto Fraile, a photographer, were;reported to have disappeared on 26th April, near a national park close to Burkina Faso’s border with Benin. This, reports indicated, happened after armed individuals attacked a convoy of security forces and expatriates.
Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, revealed broke the news saying, “We have confirmation of the worst possible news.
“All our love to the family and loved ones of David Beriáin and Roberto Fraile, who were;murdered in Burkina Faso. And also, our recognition of those who, like them, practice brave and essential journalism;on a daily basis in conflict zones”.
According to officials, the Spanish journalists had been working on a documentary on Burkina Faso’s attempts to protect its natural;resources from poachers and on communities who live in the country’s national parks.
At the time of the attack, the three men were traveling with an anti-poaching;patrol with about 40 people, said González Laya, Spain’s foreign minister.
“It is a dangerous area where terrorists, bandits, and jihadists usually operate”.
The Irish foreign ministry has also said it is investigating and “aware of the reports and is liaising closely with international partners regarding the situation on the ground”. The Irish national is thought to have;been;a conservationist, working with an NGO, tackling poaching.
Armed group outnumbered patrol
Two soldiers, who gave account of the incident to reporters on the condition of anonymity, disclosed that they were attacked by an armed group who outnumbered their 15-person patrol.
When the fighters attacked, the soldiers tried to form a protective shield around the foreigners, but once the shooting stopped, they realized they (the foreigners) had disappeared, one of the soldiers said.
“We were discouraged. It’s like you leave your house with 10 people, you go to work and then you come back with eight people. What do you say to those two people’s families?”
One of the soldiers said
The soldiers also revealed that the foreigners had been traveling with the rangers for approximately one week. Two of them were journalists and one was a trainer. The rangers were conducting their first mission in Arly National Park after finishing a six-month anti-poaching training program, one of the soldiers said.
Reporters Without Borders issued a statement in light of the grave news, noting the group was proud of the journalists’ “commitment”.
“David Beriáin and Robert Fraile have been murdered while working on one of their great reports on nature protection. Despite our sadness, we are proud of their commitment to the most difficult and forgotten realities.”
Attacks by al-Qaeda and ISIL-affiliated groups since 2015 have killed almost 1,100 people and displaced more than a million across Burkina Faso.
Earlier this month, the UN said the worsening violence in Burkina Faso had led to one of the world’s fastest-growing displacement crises, with 3 million people displaced across the Sahel.
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