Suspected jihadists attack village in Burkina Faso, killing at least 12

Security Incident Report: Burkina Faso

Suspected jihadists attacked a village in Burkina Faso, resulting in the deaths of at least 12 civilians, including nine members of a volunteer force aiding the national army. This information was confirmed by local and security sources as of Tuesday.

Burkina Faso has been under military leadership following a coup in 2022. The country has experienced over a decade of violent activities by jihadist groups associated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.

Over the weekend, several attacks aimed at the army and civilian volunteer fighters occurred in different regions of Burkina Faso. In one particular incident, armed assailants attacked the village of Dourtenga in the central-eastern region on Sunday. This resulted in the death of nine volunteer force members, including their leader, and three civilians, one of whom was a woman.

Significant damage was reported in the village, with multiple shops looted and others set on fire. The attack lasted for over an hour, causing residents to flee the area due to fears of further violence.

The Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), affiliated with Al-Qaeda, has claimed responsibility for multiple recent attacks against the army and volunteer forces. According to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), more than 130 individuals have been killed in approximately 10 days.

Despite the increasing attacks, the military government claims to have regained control over nearly three-quarters of the national territory and facilitated the return of over one million displaced individuals to their homes.

Experts indicate that Burkina Faso continues to struggle with ongoing violence, which has resulted in the death of tens of thousands of civilians and soldiers since 2015. More than half of these fatalities have occurred in the past three years, according to ACLED data.

Based on reporting by Africanews.