Tragic Event in Burkina Faso Results in Estimated 600 Fatalities, Surpassing Previous Analyses from French Security Forces
Militants affiliated with Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), a group connected to Al-Qaeda operating in Mali and Burkina Faso, carried out a brutal attack on August 24. Using motorcycles, they indiscriminately opened fire on the outskirts of Barsalogho, killing numerous villagers in cold blood. The video footage, shared on social media by pro-JNIM accounts, shows women and children among the victims, with the distinct sounds of gunfire and screams echoing throughout.
This devastating loss of life would mark a significant breakthrough in the Sahel region, a region plagued by lawlessness and acts of terrorism. The situation was exacerbated by a series of coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, which hastened the withdrawal of both American and French forces. Subsequent invitations to Russian mercenaries have led to further instability, creating a vacuum that has permitted jihadist groups to flourish, as analyzed by a French security official shared with CNN.
Initially, the United Nations estimated the casualty count to be at least 200. JNIM claimed to have killed almost 300 people, but they insisted that their targets were militia members affiliated with the army rather than innocent civilians.
According to the report, "Large-scale deadly attacks (at least a hundred deaths) against civilian populations or defense and security forces have been occurring for several weeks at a rate that seems unsustainable for the government." The report also pointed out that Burkina Faso's military lacks a cohesive strategy, as well as the ability to retain its power and credibility.
In the days following, on September 17, the capital of neighboring Mali, Bamako, was targeted in another JNIM attack, which resulted in more than 70 fatalities.
Trenches transformed into mass graves
During the attack in Barsalogho, the villagers were ordered by the military to construct a massive trench system around the town to shield it from jihadist infiltration. The JNIM militants then attacked while the trenches were still under construction, claiming the civilians were combatants due to their involvement in the project, as eyewitnesses recounted.
A survivor, who requested anonymity due to continued safety concerns, spoke to CNN about the incident. He reported that he was among dozens of men ordered to dig the trenches by the army on that fateful Saturday. At approximately 11 a.m., he was stationed about 4 kilometers away from the town in a trench when the shooting began.
"I started to crawl into the trench to escape," he said. "But it seemed that the attackers were following the trenches. So, I crawled out and came across the first bloodied victim. There was actual blood everywhere on my path. There was screaming coming from every direction. I got down on my stomach beneath a bush until later in the afternoon, hiding."
"All the remaining men in the town were few. Seeing the bodies brought on motorized carts from the massacre site was the most horrifying thing I'd ever witnessed in my life. Neither women nor children had the ability to cry. We were far beyond shocked. How can you cry when there are no tears to shed?"
"We, the survivors, are no longer the same. The problem is out of control. The massacre began in front of me. The very first shots were fired right in front of me. I was one of the people who picked up the bodies and buried them. I see my late friends when I close my eyes," he said, adding that the initial reports of 300 dead were undoubtedly too low. "Anyone who denies it should come and see me."
Another survivor informed CNN that two members of her family had been killed in the attack. "They killed people throughout the entire day. For three days, we were gathering bodies - scattered throughout the area. Fear entered our hearts. At the burial, there were far too many bodies on the ground to bury them all properly."
The incident sparked widespread outrage against Burkina Faso's junta leader, captain Ibrahim Traore, who seized power in the second of two consecutive military coups in 2022. The construction of the trenches by civilians was viewed as an endorsement by Traore, which led to him being mocked as "IB Captain Zero." The French report stated that the initial plan for civilians to build defenses for each settlement was conceived by the Minister of Civil Service, who advocated for everyone to develop their own "response" plan to potential attacks.
Despite claims that civilians were not adequately protected during the trench construction, the military junta has not taken responsibility or provided a response to CNN's inquiry.
By 2014, France's military operations in the region faced growing opposition, resulting in antipathy towards France. France intensified its counter-terrorism efforts but struggled to contain the increasing armed groups that endangered civilians. Consequently, local populations began to distrust the former colonial power.
Tragically, Traore has seldom been seen in public since the catastrophic incident, and a report, penned in August, raises concerns about his mental health and capability to serve as a leader. The report states, "The powerlessness of the authorities is evident in their inability to provide a substantial and credible response to the terrorist menace."
Meanwhile, Russian mercenaries, who arrived in Burkina Faso nearly a year prior, have failed to bring stability and are partially being redeployed to support Russia's conflict against Ukraine, according to the report. The increased security in Ouagadougou around vital structures may be linked to the withdrawal of a significant portion of the 100-strong Wagner mercenary group's "Bear" unit, responsible for Traore's protection. The Wagner group, while under new management since its founder's tragic plane crash, is still commonly referred to in the Sahel by its former name.
The report suggests that the unit was reassigned to protect the Russian border regions from Ukraine's invasion and may be replaced with less efficient Russian troops.
Criticism towards the military, voiced by relatives of the deceased and survivors from Barsalogho, who accuse the military of abandoning the assault, has been amplified by recent allegations of cannibalism by Burkina Faso soldiers. The report acknowledges videos shared on social media that appear to depict soldiers from the Rapid Intervention Battalion 15 (BIR-15) consuming body parts of slain jihadists.
The Burkina Faso army's general staff released a statement on July 24, 2024, denouncing these disturbing acts and pledging to investigate their origins and perpetrators. The incident is seen as another indicator of declining discipline in the army since the coup two years ago that placed Traore in power and led to France's departure.
CNN has reviewed videos that seem to show Burkina Faso soldiers dismembering and displaying the bodies of apparent jihadists.
The French security assessment suggests that the violence in Burkina Faso has begun to seep into at least one of its neighboring, peaceful southern countries. The report cites an attack within Togo from a Burkina Faso border town, Kompienga, on July 20, resulting in the capture of a Togolese army camp, the deaths of at least 12 soldiers, and the looting of weapons. "Rumors point to the establishment of a new GSIM Wilaya for Togo," the report adds, referring to a new al-Qaeda affiliate for Togo, "primed by terrorists from the north."
"Barsalogho is a testament to Burkina Faso teetering on the brink, as terrorists maintain a vice-like grip on the country. Six hundred lives have been lost, and that's tragic, but what's worse is that the killers continue to roam free without fear of reprisal," the assessment concludes.
The world watched in horror as the situation in Burkina Faso continued to deteriorate, with the attack in Barsalogho being a stark reminder of the violence plaguing Africa. Despite international concerns, the jihadist group JNIM continued to wreak havoc, expanding its reach beyond the Sahel region.
