Burkina Faso attacks: Seven Ghanaian tomato traders killed

Suspected jihadists have carried out a deadly series of attacks in northern and eastern Burkina Faso this weekend, and a truck carrying Ghanaian tomato traders was caught up in the violence, Ghana’s Interior Minister has confirmed.

The incident happened in Titao, a town near the border and one of several areas hit by coordinated militant assaults over the past days. Available information points to the deaths of at least seven Ghanaian tomato traders, though the final toll and identities are still being verified.

Ghana’s Minister of the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, described the information received from Burkinabe authorities as “disturbing” and said the Ghanaian Embassy in Ouagadougou is working closely with local officials to visit the site, gather details and identify those affected.

The same militant offensive also involved attacks on Burkina Faso military posts, including a large assault on a barracks in Titao and other incidents in the east of the country. Local security sources say several military units were targeted in what appears to be a coordinated campaign by armed groups.

The attacks highlight how the long-running jihadist insurgency — linked to militant groups operating across the Sahel — is affecting civilian movement and commerce as well as national security forces. Burkina Faso’s north and east have seen repeated clashes between Islamist armed groups and government forces for years. Those groups have regularly disrupted travel and trade routes, prompting fears among merchants and transporters.

Ghanaian officials have stressed that the situation is still emerging and more accurate casualty figures are expected once teams on the ground complete their assessments. The government says it is monitoring developments and will issue further updates as confirmed information becomes available.

The incident has sparked concern among traders in Ghana’s border regions, particularly those involved in cross-border agriculture trade. Tomato traders are a key part of this commerce, moving produce between Burkina Faso and markets in northern Ghana.

Security analysts warn that such attacks could further disrupt regional trade and underscore the widening reach of jihadist violence in the Sahel.

Officials from both countries continue to coordinate as they work to establish the facts and respond to the human impact of the attack.