Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières/MSF), has suspended its medical activities in Burkina Faso after two staffers were gunned down in an attack in Boucle du Mouhoun, in the country's north-western region.
The organisation said all activities would be suspended until it has a better understanding around the event.
Medical staff were travelling on the road between Dédougou and Tougan when they were approached by armed men who fired shots at the MSF-marked vehicle.
“The two victims, both from Burkina Faso, had been employed by MSF as a driver, since July 2021, and a logistics supervisor, since June 2020. They were 39 and 34 years old, respectively,” the humanitarias NGO said.
MSF president, Dr Isabelle Defourny, expressed shock and outrage at the murders.
“MSF has suspended its activities in the Boucle du Mouhoun region, until the organisation will have a better understanding of this tragic event.
“We are shocked and outraged by this killing. This is a deliberate and intentional attack on a clearly identified humanitarian team, during its medical work. Our priority is to support the two colleagues who survived the attack, as well as the families and loved ones of our missing colleagues. We are also going to engage with all the parties to the conflict to understand what happened,” Defourny said.
MSF said Burkina Faso was facing an unprecedented political, security and humanitarian crisis, resulting in the displacement of nearly two million people, following violence and fighting between armed groups and government forces.
Defourny added that between July and December 2022, MSF teams in Burkina Faso, working in four regions of the country, provided nearly 400 000 primary health consultations and assisted in the delivery of nearly 4 300 women.
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