Since May 26, Burkinabè refugees have been streaming into the town of Koro in central Mali. Local authorities estimate the number of displaced individuals is now in the thousands.
These displaced people fled violence in their home region following threats from armed jihadist groups.
Hamsetou recounts: “Two people came on a motorcycle. I think they were messengers. We got scared.”
Hamsetou arrived in Koro with her daughter and other family members after armed groups passed through the village of Sia in the Gomboro department, central Burkina Faso.
“They arrived on the day of our weekly market, ordering us to leave our village before sunrise.” She adds: “That’s how we left at night, taking the road to hide in neighboring villages. The next day, we took a taxi to Koro.”
We left everything behind
Hamsetou plans to settle in Koro until calm returns to her village. Besides Sia, most populations from Gani, Bouli, Kogan, Ganagoulo, and Kouéré have also fled the violence to seek refuge in Mali. Nearly three-quarters of the refugees are women and children.
Oumou, from Ganagoulo, explains that on May 26 she saw armed men heading to the neighboring villages of Bouli and Gani: “They then came to our village to tell us we would face the same fate. That’s when we decided to flee, leaving everything behind—our homes, granaries, animals. Some walked, others used tricycles, carts, or bicycles to reach Koro.”
Oumou eventually reached Koro with her husband and four children, all safe.
Issa Sagara, deputy mayor of Koro, says the conditions for hosting and feeding the Burkinabè refugees remain precarious. He calls for a general mobilization. The refugees are currently spread across several sites in and around the town.