Burkina, Mali troops kill more civilians than jihadists do, data shows
More than 1,800 civilians have been reported killed in Burkina Faso since Ibrahim Traoré took power three years ago, with acts amounting to “war crimes and crimes against humanity,” according to Human Rights Watch (HRW).
The report identifies 1,837 civilian deaths in 57 incidents from January 2023 to August 2025, attributing the majority, 1,255 deaths, to the military and allied militias, while the remainder were blamed on Islamist militants.
HRW states that both President Traoré and six senior military commanders may be held accountable for serious abuses and calls for an investigation, along with jihadist leaders.
The military’s justification for seizing power was primarily to combat jihadist groups linked to al-Qaeda, which have been instigating violence in Burkina Faso and surrounding regions for over a decade.
The HRW report relies on open-source analysis, including images, video, and witness interviews, highlighting shared responsibility among all parties for war crimes such as willful killings, attacks on civilians, and forced displacements.
The junta is criticized for horrific abuses and attempts to suppress civilian suffering reporting.
One horrific incident noted occurred in December 2023 when over 400 civilians were killed in Djibo.
Survivors recounted violent scenes and trauma from the attacks, with local militias, known as Volunteers for the Defence of the Fatherland (VDP), increasingly involved.
The junta has reportedly coerced individuals into joining this militia as a punishment for dissent. Traoré has justified such conscription by prioritizing national freedom over individual liberties.
As the military government continues to face accusations of brutal anti-civilian campaigns in response to attacks by al-Qaeda affiliate JNIM, civilians describe being “caught between a rock and a hard place,” facing threats from both the government and JNIM.
In August 2024, JNIM militants killed at least 133 individuals in a single attack.
HRW is calling for the International Criminal Court to initiate a preliminary investigation into the crimes committed by all involved parties since September 2022.
Burkina Faso’s government, led by Traoré since a coup in September 2022, has urged international partners and donors to impose sanctions and to limit cooperation with its military.
Traoré, notable for his pan-Africanist perspective, has built a significant following despite being labeled authoritarian.
The country, along with military-ruled neighbors Mali and Niger, has shifted its focus away from Western allies, particularly France, in combating Islamist violence, instead seeking military support from Russia; however, violence remains persistent.
