[AlAhram] Violence linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State
 ...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not really Moslems....
is increasing in Burkina Faso
...The country in west Africa that they put where Upper Volta used to be. Its capital is Oogadooga, or something like that. Its president is currently Blaise Compaoré, who took office in 1987 and will leave office feet first, one way or the other...
, killing thousands and displacing 1.3 million people
At least 30 people, including members of the military, were killed by jihadi rebels in northern Burkina Faso, the government said Thursday.
Eleven civilians, 15 soldiers, and four volunteer defense fighters, were killed by ``terrorists'' in several villages outside the town of Markoye in Oudalan province near the border with Niger on Wednesday, Aime Barthelemy Simpore, assistant to the minister of defense, said in a statement.
The non-combatants were killed at midday and the military and volunteers were ambushed four hours later after being detached to secure the area, the government said. At least 10 jihadi rebels were killed and the area has been secured by the army, with air and ground patrols conducting sweeps.
The town of Gorom Gorom, approximately 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Markoye, has been inundated with people fleeing the attack amid fear that the violence was going to spread, an aid worker in the area told The News Agency that Dare Not be Named. He insisted on anonymity for his safety.
Violence linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State is increasing in Burkina Faso, killing thousands and displacing 1.3 million people. In June, at least 11 coppers were killed when their patrol was ambushed in the north and earlier that month at least 160 non-combatants were killed in the Sahel region
... North Africa's answer to the Pak tribal areas...
, the deadliest violence in years.
This week's violence comes on the heels of a deadly attack in neighboring Niger along the border with Burkina Faso less than a week ago, where jihadis killed at least 19 people, 18 of whom were members of the military.
The escalating holy warrior violence will be difficult to bring under control, according to conflict analysts.
``International and regional efforts to combat militancy face serious challenges in keeping Lions of Islam at bay,'' said Heni Nsaibia, senior researcher at the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project.
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