Attacks in Burkina Faso claimed at least 44 lives.

At least 44 civilians were killed in two separate attacks on villages in northern Burkina Faso, authorities said. A local governor, Rodolphe Sorgho, blamed terrorists for the attacks, without naming a specific group. A resident of one of the villages told AFP “a large number of terrorists” attacked late on Thursday, with gunfire sounding throughout the night. Burkina Faso is one of the world’s poorest counties and has become the epicenter of violence carried out by Islamist militants linked to al Qaeda and the Islamic State. The violence began in Mali in 2012 but has since spread across the Sahel region south of the Sahara Desert. Millions have fled their homes, fearing further raids by gunmen who frequently descend on rural communities on motorbikes.