17th December, 2016
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Chairman of ECOWAS
The body, in a communique issued in Abuja, Nigeria said the body learnt with great dismay, that a detachment of the Anti-Terrorism Task Force of the Burkinabe Army (GFAT) was attacked around 5.30 am this Friday 16 December 2016 in Nassoumbou, a village in Djibo municipality, close to the Mali border.
“Twelve (12) brave soldiers lost their lives and a number of civilians and military personnel were wounded in this fatal attack. The President of the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) strongly condemns this latest attack and expresses his solidarity with the Government and people of Burkina Faso.
The communique added thatt the President of the ECOWAS Commission appealed to the international Community to assist in suppressing this spate of attacks by jihadists which caused unnecessary deaths and destruction in our region.
“The President of the Commission honours the memory of victims of this attack, presents his condolences to the bereaved families and wishes the injured quick recovery,” the communique said.
-Kazeem Ugbodaga
Abuja, 16 December 2016 President of the Commission