Two sentenced to life imprisonment in Burkina Faso over 2017 restaurant attack - Ripples Nigeria
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Two sentenced to life imprisonment in Burkina Faso over 2017 restaurant attack

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A court in Burkina Faso on Thursday sentenced two individuals to life in prison for their role in a devastating 2017 attack on a Turkish restaurant in the capital, Ouagadougou.

The attack which sent shockwaves through the nation claimed the lives of 19 people, including 10 Burkinabes and nine foreign nationals.

On that fateful August evening, the Aziz Istanbul restaurant, a popular spot on the city’s bustling main avenue, turned into a horror scene.

Two gunmen opened fire indiscriminately, targeting diners and staff alike. The tragedy unfolded just steps away from another site of a 2016 attack, underscoring the growing threat of extremist violence in the region.

Although no group claimed responsibility for the attack, it fits a chilling pattern of assaults on locations frequented by expatriates. Security forces neutralized the gunmen during a counter-assault, but the scars of that night remain for survivors and the families of the victims.

READ ALSO: 10 killed as bus hits landmine in Burkina Faso

The two men sentenced this week were apprehended during a 2018 counterterrorism operation following extensive investigations.

Their conviction is seen as a significant step in Burkina Faso’s fight against terrorism, as the nation grapples with escalating violence from jihadist groups.

“This verdict is a testament to our commitment to justice,” said Lafama Prosper Thiombiano, the prosecutor overseeing the case.

He also revealed that eight more suspects would soon face trial over a separate attack in March 2018, which targeted the army headquarters and the French embassy, killing eight soldiers.

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