Ireland Identifies National Killed In Burkina Faso Attack

Ireland's foreign ministry on Wednesday released the identity of one of its nationals who was among three Europeans killed in an attack on an anti-poaching patrol in Burkina Faso

Abidjan, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Apr, 2021 ) :Ireland's foreign ministry on Wednesday released the identity of one of its nationals who was among three Europeans killed in an attack on an anti-poaching patrol in Burkina Faso.

Foreign minister Simon Coveney said in a statement that Rory Young was one of the victims and called his death a "tragic loss of life".

Young was the co-founder and head of conservation and anti-poaching charity Chengeta Wildlife, according to a statement from the organisation late Tuesday.

Young and two Spanish journalists "capturing his efforts to protect precious wildlife" were "attacked by terrorists", the organisation said on Twitter late Tuesday.

According to the Chengeta Wildlife website, Young was born in Zambia and co-authored an anti-poaching manual.

A senior security source in Burkina Faso said Tuesday all three Europeans had been "executed".

He did not specify who was behind Monday's attack in the eastern region of Fada N'Gourma-Pama, which had included soldiers and forest rangers as well as the three foreigners.

The attackers used two pick-up vehicles and a dozen motorbikes, according to security sources.

Coveney's department said Young was part of a group attacked by "unknown assailants".

"The minister condemns in the strongest possible terms the actions of those who are responsible for this attack," the statement added.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Tuesday identified the two journalists killed as Spaniards David Beriain and Roberto Fraile.

Foreign minister Arancha Gonzalez said Beriain hailed from Pamplona in Spain's north while Fraile was from the Basque region.

Beriain was a war reporter who worked for a now defunct Spanish branch of CNN and had founded his own production house specialising in documentary work.

Fraile formerly worked for Spain's CyLTV. According to Spanish media reports, he was wounded in Syria at the end of 2012 while covering the Free Syrian Army.