Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – 21 August 2019: The Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, H.E. Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, condemns, in the strongest terms possible, the heinous terrorist attack on 19th August, on a military base in Koutougou in the north of Burkina Faso that left at least 24 soldiers dead and others wounded.
The Chairperson of the Commission offers his condolences to the bereaved families and wishes speedy recovery to the injured. He also expresses the AU’s solidarity with the Government and people of Burkina Faso in their efforts in preventing and countering terrorism and violent extremism in all their manifestations in the country.
The Chairperson of the Commission reaffirms the AU’s strong rejection of all acts of terrorism and violent extremism and stresses the need for enhanced cooperation among the countries of the region and their security services to prevent and counter terrorism and violent extremism. He expresses confidence in the solidarity of the Sahel countries in combating terrorism in the Sahel region, and the efforts of the Nouakchott Process on Enhanced Security Cooperation to strengthen sharing of intelligence in the region in the fight against terrorism and extremism.