Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso – An armed group linked to al-Qaeda, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), has claimed responsibility for a deadly attack in central Burkina Faso, which reportedly resulted in the deaths of up to 200 people and left at least 140 others injured. The incident occurred on Saturday in the Barsalogho region, approximately 40 kilometers north of Kaya, a key town in the defense of the capital, Ouagadougou.
The attackers targeted teams of civilians who were digging trenches intended to fortify security outposts, a desperate measure as Burkina Faso’s military struggles to maintain control over its territory. The aftermath of the attack was gruesomely documented in videos posted by JNIM, showing men, women, and children among the casualties, who tragically ended up in the very trenches they were digging, which had effectively become mass graves.
The Burkina Faso army had reportedly been aware of an impending attack as early as Friday, prompting them to ask civilians to assist in the digging of trenches. Despite these efforts, the attack still took place, underlining the severe challenges the country’s military faces as they continue to lose ground to armed groups linked to al-Qaeda.
The situation in Burkina Faso has been further complicated by the severing of ties with Western countries, including France, which had previously provided military support. In recent times, the government has sought the assistance of Russian mercenaries in a bid to regain control and stem the tide of attacks. However, these efforts appear to be insufficient, as the violence continues to inch closer to the capital.
The ongoing conflict in Burkina Faso has had devastating consequences, with thousands of lives lost and over two million people displaced over the past decade. The country recently topped the Norwegian Refugee Council’s list of the world’s most neglected displacement crises, with violence claiming more than 8,400 lives in the past year alone—double the number of deaths from the previous year.
