JNIM (Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin) has claimed responsibility for an attack that left at least 300 people dead, stating that those killed were militias linked to the Burkina faso army and not civilians.
Videos shared on social media by the militants showed numerous bodies, mostly in civilian clothing, lying in trenches.
This incident underscores the growing dangers as Burkina Faso's government increasingly depends on civilian militias to combat jihadist insurgents. The insurgency has plagued the Sahel region since it spread from neighboring Mali in 2012.
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According to Ryan Cummings, director of analysis at Africa-focused risk-management company Signal Risk, civilians who support the military are perceived as collaborators, making them targets for such attacks.
The junta has yet to disclose the number of casualties but confirmed that soldiers, civilians, and volunteer army auxiliaries, known as VDPs, were among the victims. State television reported that the attack occurred as locals in Barsalogho were engaged in community work, although specific details were not provided.
Citizen advocacy group Collectif Justice pour Barsalogho criticized the authorities for forcing the community to dig trenches, which ultimately became mass graves, calling it a tragic and negligent act. They expressed their outrage, stating that the local population was "led to the slaughter."
The escalating violence in Burkina Faso has led to two coups in 2022, yet the new leadership has failed to curb the bloodshed.
According to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, over 6,500 civilians have died since 2020, with more than half of these fatalities occurring under the current government.
