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Content warning: This article contains descriptions of violence that some readers may find distressing.
Survivors share harrowing accounts of insurgent attacks
In a refugee camp near Ivory Coast's border with Burkina Faso, 57-year-old Yameogo Aminata relives the day jihadists murdered her four sons. The militants, active in central Burkina Faso for nearly 15 years, stormed her village in 2022 while she was away, slaughtering residents and seizing property.
"They slit the throats of my children-four of them, aged 25 to 32," Aminata told the BBC, her voice trembling. "When I returned, they were killing my youngest son." She recounted lunging at the attackers with a knife before being overpowered, beaten, and left for dead in the bush with severe injuries to her head, shoulder, and throat. Her daughter vanished during the assault, and her whereabouts remain unknown.
Displacement crisis grips the Sahel
The insurgency in Burkina Faso has claimed at least 10,000 lives and displaced over three million people across the Sahel, according to UN data. The region has become the global epicenter of jihadist violence, with al-Qaeda-affiliated group Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) emerging as the dominant militant force.
Military juntas in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger-all of which seized power promising to curb the violence-have pivoted from Western allies to Russia for military support. Despite deployments of Russian forces under the Africa Corps banner, the insurgency has persisted, forcing thousands to flee.
Overcrowded camps strain resources
Aminata now resides in Nioronigué camp, a 12-hectare site near Ivory Coast's border established in 2023 by the UN and Ivorian authorities. Designed for 6,000 people, the camp and its neighbor, Timala, now shelter roughly 13,000 refugees-more than double their capacity. Over 80,000 Burkinabé refugees have sought safety in Ivory Coast, while many others live with host families, stretching local resources.
UN Development Programme representative Blerta Cela warned of severe strain on aid systems. "The number of refugees has surged dramatically," she said. "Most are not in camps but rely on Ivorian families for shelter."
Trauma and uncertainty define life in exile
Hassane Tall, a 60-year-old farmer from northern Burkina Faso, fled with his three wives and 19 children in 2023 after repeated attacks. "We escaped clashes between jihadists and security forces," he said. "We thought we would die." Now in Nioronigué, he mourns the loss of his ancestral land but sees no future for his family in Burkina Faso.
Refugees from Mali share similar stories. A 27-year-old finance graduate recounted fleeing Gao after his 24-year-old cousin was killed by suspected jihadists. "He was a fisherman, attacked by men on motorbikes while returning home at night," he said. "Such violence happens daily. We lived in constant fear."
Ivory Coast pledges support despite challenges
While Ivory Coast's economy is among West Africa's fastest-growing, unemployment and poverty remain high, particularly in border regions. Locals express concerns about the refugee influx, but government representative Djamatigui Touré affirmed the country's commitment to hospitality. "Those who come are our brothers," he said. "We share history and culture."
Hope for peace remains fragile
For Aminata, life in exile is shadowed by grief. She keeps the bloodied clothes from the attack as a grim reminder of her losses. "I don't know how to move forward," she said. "I have nothing left." Her prayer echoes the sentiments of many in the camp: "We ask God for peace to return to Burkina Faso."
