An al Qaeda-linked group has claimed responsibility for the deadly attack that occurred on Saturday in north-central Burkina Faso, asserting that nearly 300 individuals were killed, but clarified that those targeted were militia members aligned with the army, not civilians. This statement was reported by the U.S.-based Site Intelligence Group, which monitors extremist communications.
The incident, which took place near the town of Barsalogho, marks one of the deadliest assaults in nearly a decade of Islamist violence that has plagued Burkina Faso. According to a group representing the victims’ families, at least 400 people were killed when jihadists opened fire on civilians who were engaged in digging defensive trenches under military orders.
Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), the al Qaeda affiliate, asserted that the individuals targeted in the attack were soldiers and militia members involved in the excavation of trenches. “Those who were eliminated in this attack are nothing but militias affiliated with the Burkinabe army … not as they lied and said that they were civilians,” JNIM stated in a communique translated by Site on Thursday.
Videos reportedly filmed by the militants and circulated on social media show dozens of bodies, mostly in civilian attire, lying in trenches.
This tragic event underscores the significant risks associated with the authorities’ increasing reliance on civilian involvement in the fight against jihadist groups that have destabilized large parts of the Sahel region since the insurgency began in neighboring Mali in 2012.
“Civilians are playing a significant role in the conflict,” said Ryan Cummings, director of analysis at Africa-focused risk-management company Signal Risk, referring to their recruitment into militias and efforts to fortify towns, as was reportedly the case in Barsalogho. “But civilians that are assisting the military are seen as collaborators. This has made them targets of attacks,” he added.
While Burkina Faso’s ruling junta has not confirmed the exact number of casualties, it has acknowledged that civilians, soldiers, and volunteer army auxiliaries, known as VDPs, were among the victims. State television reported that the attackers struck while Barsalogho residents were engaged in unspecified community activities.
On Wednesday, the citizen advocacy group Collectif Justice pour Barsalogho criticized the authorities for forcing the community to participate in trench-digging efforts, which they said ultimately became “mass graves.” The group stated, “Our parents were led to the slaughter.”
The ongoing violence in Burkina Faso has led to significant unrest, contributing to two military coups in 2022. Despite these changes in leadership, the new authorities have struggled to curb the violence. According to data from the nongovernmental organization Armed Conflict Location and Event Data, over 6,500 civilians have been killed since the start of 2020, with more than half of these deaths occurring under the current government.
