Burkina Faso: 59 dead after explosion at an illegal gold mine

At least 59 people have been killed since the Burkina Faso bombing - what happened

explosion

At least 59 people have been killed in an explosion in Burkina Faso. What happened;

At least 59 people were killed and dozens more were injured, many seriously when a stockpile of dynamite exploded at a makeshift gold mine in Burkina Faso, a poor Sahel country.

The explosion at the gold mine, in the province of Poni (southwest) yesterday afternoon, destroyed several houses made of sheet metal in the area. Among the victims are many women and children.

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The number of victims may increase

Local officials warned that the death toll could rise as many of the injured were in critical condition.

In the gold mines that operate without a license as one would expect, there is not the slightest control of the authorities and safety regulations are not observed. These children often work on them. Accidents are common.

Burkina Faso is also facing jihadist groups linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State, which are trying to seize gold mines to secure funding. However, the explosion took place far from the areas where they operate and there is no indication that it was anything other than an accident.

in.gr