Up to 200 killed in attack in Burkina Faso

An armed group affiliated with al-Qaeda, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), has claimed responsibility for an attack in central Burkina Faso that reportedly killed up to 200 people and injured at least 140.

The assault occurred on August 24 in the Barsalogho region, approximately 40 km (25 miles) north of Kaya, a strategic town with the last remaining force defending the capital, Ouagadougou, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The attackers targeted teams digging trenches meant to safeguard security outposts, opening fire on them. Several soldiers are unaccounted for, and the attackers seized weapons and a military ambulance. JNIM has released harrowing videos showing the aftermath, with the dead—men, women, and children—lying in the trenches they were digging, effectively turning them into mass graves.

The local hospital has called upon medical personnel from Kaya to assist with the injured. The Burkina Faso army had been aware of the impending attack and had urged the public to dig trenches for protection. This highlights the desperation of Burkina Faso's forces, who have lost control of half of their territory to al-Qaeda-linked armed groups. Burkina Faso has cut ties with Western nations like France that had been assisting its security forces in combating these armed groups. Recently, the government has sought assistance from Russian mercenaries, both for strategic support and to mitigate the attacks. 

Despite this help, the attacks appear to be getting closer to the capital. Burkina Faso's military leaders, who came to power in a 2022 coup, have faced several attempted coups due to dissatisfaction with their handling of the insurgency. Armed groups have caused the deaths of thousands and displaced over two million people in Burkina Faso over the past decade.

The country has recently been identified by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) as having one of the world's most overlooked displacement crises. Last year, violence resulted in more than 8,400 deaths—double the previous year's toll, according to the NRC.