A Human Rights Watch research details the escalating brutality perpetrated by Islamist terrorists in Burkina Faso. The crimes committed by these militants include sliced throats, door-to-door killings, and a particular focus on Christian worshippers. With almost 6,000 casualties so far this year, including about 1,000 civilians murdered by Islamist extremists, the security situation in the West African nation is rapidly worsening, as this latest wave of violence highlights.
Burkina Faso’s Islamist Insurgency on the Rise
Since 2016, Burkina Faso has been dealing with terrorist organizations. Terrorist groups with ties to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (IS) have been active in the country for some time now, and their influence has been growing. Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who took control in a coup two years ago, promised to fix the security situation quickly, but things only got worse after that. Despite these initial promises, the violence has only become worse.
Attacks Motivated by Vengeance
The terrible levels of violence inflicted by terrorist groups are highlighted in a recent study by Human Rights Watch. Retaliation against communities that have refused to join or are accused of collaborating with the government’s military forces is a common motivation for these attacks.
Twelve people were killed in an assault in February that targeted churchgoers in the village of Essakane in the northeastern region. Eyewitnesses described the horrors of carnage as they described the aftermath within the church. In subsequent statements, the ISGS took credit for the loss of life.
In June, the town of Sindo in the Hauts-Bassins region was hit by an offensive led by members of Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), a group associated with al-Qaeda. According to eyewitnesses, the scene was savage, with random gunshots, corpses lying around the town, and the slashed throats of several of the victims. The security situation has worsened, as is evident from the level of cruelty.
Military and Non-Military Victims
There has been a pattern to the attacks. Militants stormed a neighboring army base in the northern town of Mansila, killing men they suspected of collaborating with the military as they went door-to-door. Along with these horrific deeds, prior HRW reports have accused Burkina Faso’s military and civilian groups affiliated with the government in crimes committed against rebels.
When the military was accused of killing 223 people in February during operations against Islamist organizations, it was a significant massacre by government forces. Both sides are to blame for the increasing death toll, as these occurrences show that violence is pervasive and does not discriminate.
Massive Areas of Burkina Faso Held by Jihadists
Large swaths of Burkina Faso are still under the thumb of jihadist factions, who are relentlessly expanding their territories. These deadly insurgencies have taken advantage of the fact that the government no longer controls nearly half of the country. The shocking death toll of over 6,000 in the first eight months of 2024 alone, as recorded by the Armed Violence Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), underscores the ferocity of the violence, according to HRW’s research.
Not included in these numbers are the extra victims from the massacre that JNIM alleged was carried out on August 24 in the northern Burkinabe town of Barsalogho, killing 100 to 400 innocent villagers. Concerns over the nation’s capacity to preserve territorial control and safeguard its inhabitants have been intensified by the massive magnitude of this assault.
Burkina Faso’s Security Strategy Faces Difficulties
According to experts, Burkina Faso’s inability to control the insurgency stems, in part, from the country’s lack of a unified security plan. The government has not yet established a thorough plan to protect its people and land, according to international security and defense expert David Otto.
A co-author of a book about the Islamic State’s influence in Africa, Ryan Cummings, shared the same worries. The insurgents in Burkina Faso are reportedly well-armed, and he claims that several military leaders have complained about ammunition shortages. The administration has struggled to launch a strong counteroffensive against the militants due to this logistical shortcoming.
Changes in Allegiance and External Factors
In light of the increasing danger, Burkina Faso has changed its diplomatic allegiances, seeking military aid from Russia rather than its long-standing partner, France. In a coordinated attempt to counter jihadist insurgencies, this country’s new geopolitical alignment brings it into line with two other pro-Russian juntas in the area, Mali and Niger. The three juntas have been aligned, but they still haven’t been able to tackle the growing terrorist threat or solidify power.
The fight against Islamist rebels in Burkina Faso is ongoing. The path to stability and peace is far from smooth, but with the correct approach and help from outside, we can stop the bloodshed from getting worse and start making our country and its people safer for the future.
