The deaths of at least 28 people in Burkina Faso must be investigated rapidly, said Volker Türk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
"It is encouraging that the authorities have announced an investigation into the incident. I call on them to ensure it is prompt, thorough, impartial and transparent and to hold all those responsible to account regardless of position or rank," the UN official said, noting that "the victims and their loved ones are owed no less."
The dead bodies of 28 males were found on New Year's Eve in the north-western town of Nouna, mostly inhabited by Muslims and ethnic Fulani. The Burkinabe Civil Society Organization claimed that the killers were dressed as members of the pro-government Homeland Defense Volunteers (VDP) auxiliary force.
Earlier, Türk stressed the necessity to enhance the preparation of the volunteers and supervision over them in order to ensure respect for human rights in the country.
"There is an urgent need to strengthen their vetting procedures, pre-deployment training on international human rights and humanitarian law, their effective supervision by the security and defense forces and to ensure inclusion and transparency during their recruitment," the UN human rights office said.
The VDP program was launched by Burkinabe authorities in 2019 in order to allow civilian volunteers to join Burkina Faso’s military forces in the fight against terrorist groups linked to Daesh-* and Al-Qaeda-linked* terrorist groups, which became more active in 2015, eventually seizing vast territories.
*terrorist organizations banned in Russia and many other states