Ask Onix
HRW report details civilian deaths under Burkina Faso military rule
A new Human Rights Watch investigation alleges that over 1,800 civilians, including children, have been killed in Burkina Faso since President Ibrahim Traoré took power in 2022, with most deaths attributed to the military and its allied militias.
Key findings and allegations
The report, covering January 2023 to August 2025, documents 57 incidents resulting in 1,837 civilian deaths. Military forces and affiliated groups are blamed for 1,255 of these killings, while Islamist militants account for the remainder.
HRW asserts that Traoré and six senior military commanders may bear command responsibility for these abuses, urging investigations into their roles. Five jihadist leaders are also identified as potentially culpable.
Government response and context
Burkinabé authorities have not yet responded to the BBC's request for comment on the report. Previous allegations of military involvement in civilian killings have been dismissed by the government.
Traoré's 2022 coup cited the need to combat jihadist groups linked to al-Qaeda, which have waged a decade-long insurgency across Burkina Faso and neighboring countries, seizing large swaths of territory.
Methodology and survivor accounts
The report draws on open-source materials, including photos, videos, and satellite imagery, as well as interviews with witnesses and survivors. It accuses all parties of war crimes, including willful killings, attacks on civilians, looting, and forced displacement.
"All sides are responsible for the war crimes of willful killing, attacks on civilians and civilian objects, pillage and looting, and forced displacement."
Human Rights Watch report
Philippe Bolopion, HRW's executive director, described the scale of atrocities as "mind-boggling," criticizing the lack of global attention to the crisis.
Notable incidents and trauma
The report highlights a December 2023 massacre in Djibo, where military and allied militias allegedly killed over 400 civilians. A 35-year-old survivor recounted the horror, stating her two daughters died instantly, while she and her nine-month-old son were wounded.
"Make sure no-one is breathing before heading out,"
Militia member, as recounted by a survivor
Survivors described the killings as "butchery" and reported enduring severe psychological trauma.
Militias and jihadist violence
The military's allied militias, known as the Volunteers for the Defence of the Fatherland (VDP), are accused of forcibly recruiting critics as punishment. Traoré has defended conscription, arguing that national security outweighs individual freedoms.
Civilians face dual threats: jihadist groups like JNIM, an al-Qaeda affiliate, and government forces. JNIM has targeted communities resisting its authority, with one August 2024 attack killing 133 people and injuring over 200 in under two hours.
Calls for action
HRW has urged the International Criminal Court to launch a preliminary investigation into alleged crimes by all parties since September 2022. The group also called on Burkina Faso's partners to impose sanctions and cease military cooperation with the country's army.
Despite his authoritarian reputation, Traoré has garnered support across Africa for his pan-Africanist stance and criticism of Western influence. Burkina Faso, along with Mali and Niger, has shifted away from Western alliances, turning to Russia for military aid-though violence has persisted.
