HRW Report Raises Alarm Over Civilian Killings In Burkina Faso
News Updated: 02 April 2026 16:07 EAT
President Ibrahim Traoré of Burkina Faso
A new report by Human Rights Watch has revealed that more than 1,800 civilians, including dozens of children, were killed in Burkina Faso between January 2023 and August 2025.
The report links the timeline of the killings to the period following the rise to power of Ibrahim Traoré, who seized control in a coup and has since led the country under military rule.
According to the findings, at least 57 separate incidents of violence were documented across multiple regions, pointing to a pattern of widespread and systematic attacks against civilians.
Human Rights Watch states that the killings were carried out by various actors, including government security forces, allied militias, and Islamist armed groups operating in the Sahel region.
The report indicates that government forces and pro-government militias, particularly community-based units, were responsible for a significant proportion of the civilian deaths recorded.
Armed Islamist groups linked to networks such as Al-Qaeda were also blamed for carrying out deadly attacks targeting villages, contributing to the rising death toll.
Researchers compiled the report using extensive investigations, including interviews with witnesses, survivors, and families of victims, alongside satellite imagery and other forms of evidence.
Human Rights Watch warned that many of the documented acts—including summary executions, mass killings, and attacks on non-combatants—may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The report highlights that civilians in Burkina Faso are increasingly trapped between opposing sides, facing violence both from state-led counterinsurgency operations and extremist groups.
It also raises concerns about ethnic targeting, particularly against Fulani communities, who have been disproportionately affected amid accusations of links to armed groups.
The broader conflict forms part of the ongoing security crisis in the Sahel, where escalating violence has displaced millions and deepened humanitarian challenges.
Human Rights Watch has called for urgent investigations and accountability, urging national authorities and international partners to ensure justice for victims and prevent further abuses.
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FELIX MAKONA
FACT FINDER AND DATA DRIVEN JOURNALIST. DATA MINING AT IT'S BEST. GET FACTS RANGING FROM MATTERS DISABILITY AND INCLUSION, POLITICS, ECONOMY, SPORTS AND GENERAL NEWS AROUND THE WORLD