LOME Civilians fleeing their homes in a northern Togo region attacked by suspected Islamist militants last week have sought refuge in nearby cities, according to a local mayor.
According to two local activists, more than 25 people were killed in the attacks on four villages in the Kpendjal district, near the border with Burkina Faso. The government stated that a number of people had been killed but did not specify how many.
“People are fleeing their villages in droves,” said Arzoume Sambiani, mayor of a section of Kpendjal, in a statement on Monday.
He urged civilians to return to their villages and resume normal activities, but to avoid travelling after dark. Togo’s government declared a state of emergency in the northern Savanes region last month.
Togo has seen a wave of attacks this year that have been linked to the jihadist violence that has ravaged its northern neighbours in the Sahel region over the last decade.
Despite the presence of foreign troops across the region, militant violence in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger has spread to coastal West African countries such as Benin and Ivory Coast.
