More than 1,800 civilians have been killed in Burkina Faso since Ibrahim Traoré’s military junta seized power three years ago, according to a new report by Human Rights Watch (HRW). The report, which details acts amounting to “war crimes and crimes against humanity, “reveals that 1,837 civilians, including numerous children, were killed in 57 incidents between January 2023 and August 2025.
HRW attributes the majority of the killings, totaling 1,255, to the military and allied militias, with the remainder attributed to Islamist militants. The organization finds that President Traoré and six senior military commanders “may be liable as a matter of command responsibility for grave abuses and should be investigated.”Additionally, five jihadist leaders are deemed potentially culpable.
Despite the Burkinabé authorities dismissing previous accusations of civilian killings by their forces, the HRW report is based on a comprehensive analysis of open-source information, including photos, videos, and satellite imagery, as well as interviews with witnesses and survivors. The report is a stark reminder of the ongoing violence in the country, where all sides are implicated in committing war crimes.
One of the deadliest incidents documented by HRW occurred in December 2023, when the military and allied militias killed more than 400 civilians in the northern town of Djibo. A 35-year-old woman, who lost two of her daughters in the attack, recounted the chilling words of a militia member: “Make sure no-one is breathing before heading out.”Survivors of the attacks have described the killings as brutal and continue to suffer from deep psychological trauma. “Many survivors described the killings as ‘butchery’and said they were left with deep psychological wounds, “the report notes.
Since the military government seized power, authorities have been accused of increasingly targeting civilians in response to attacks by al — Qaeda affiliate JNIM, the largest jihadist group in the country. Civilians have told HRW of feeling “caught between a rock and a hard place, “threatened with death by JNIM while also being targeted by government forces.
HRW is now urging the International Criminal Court to open a preliminary investigation into the alleged crimes committed by all parties since September 2022. The organization has also called on Burkina Faso’s partners and donors to impose sanctions and refrain from cooperating with the country’s army.
Traoré seized power in September 2022 after overthrowing Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, who had taken over only nine months earlier. Despite his authoritarian reputation, Traoré has gained a significant following across the continent for his pan-Africanist vision and criticism of Western influence. Burkina Faso, along with its neighbors Mali and Niger, which are also under military rule, has shifted away from working with Western countries, particularly France, in its fight against Islamist groups, instead turning towards Russia for military assistance. However, the violence has persisted.
Source: BBC Africa
