At least 58 civilians and multiple security personnel were killed in a wave of violent attacks across Burkina Faso, highlighting the country’s continued struggle with militant violence.
The deadliest assault targeted three villages—Bousgou, Salemboare, and Yonde—in Koulpelogo province near the Togo border over several days starting Thursday.
In a separate incident on Sunday morning, a military base in Djibo was attacked alongside a nearby police station and market. According to security sources, soldiers, pro-government militia fighters, and civilians were among the casualties, and weapons were seized during the assault.
The Djibo base has been previously targeted, including a deadly 2022 attack that left 10 soldiers dead and 50 wounded. No group has claimed responsibility for the latest attacks, though the area is known to host fighters affiliated with Al Qaeda’s regional branch, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM).
Burkina Faso’s military-led government under Ibrahim Traoré, which came to power in a 2022 coup, continues to face mounting criticism over its handling of the jihadist insurgency. On Monday, Human Rights Watch accused the army and pro-government militias of participating in a massacre of over 130 ethnic Fulani civilians in March in the Boucle du Mouhoun region—claims the government previously dismissed as part of a disinformation campaign.
