At least 1,837 civilians have been killed in Burkina Faso between January 2023 and August 2025, caught between the country’s military, volunteer defense forces, and jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, according to a report released Thursday by Human Rights Watch (HRW). The findings detail a surge in civilian deaths and accuse all warring parties of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The escalating violence underscores the failure of Captain Ibrahim Traore’s junta, which seized power in a September 2022 coup, to contain the decade-long insurgency that has destabilized the Sahel region. Burkina Faso’s army increasingly relies on the Volontaires pour la Défense de la Patrie (VDP), civilian volunteers recruited and trained to support the military in combating jihadist groups.
HRW’s investigation, based on analysis of open-source information – including photographs, videos, and satellite imagery – and interviews with over 450 individuals across Burkina Faso, Benin, Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Mali, reveals a pattern of deliberate attacks on civilians. The report identifies at least 33 incidents between January 2023 and April 2025 where Burkinabe forces and VDPs were responsible for the deaths of at least 1,255 civilians. Simultaneously, the jihadist group Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda affiliate, was implicated in at least 24 attacks resulting in at least 582 civilian deaths during the same period.
One of the most devastating incidents documented by HRW occurred in December 2023, when Burkinabe military and VDP forces allegedly killed hundreds of civilians in at least 16 villages and hamlets north of Djibo. Survivors described the events as a “butchery,” reporting profound psychological trauma. The report details allegations of summary executions, indiscriminate fire, and the deliberate targeting of civilians suspected of supporting armed groups.
JNIM has also been accused of systematically targeting civilians deemed to be collaborating with the government or refusing to adhere to its strict interpretation of Islamic law. In August 2024, JNIM fighters attacked Barsalogho, a town heavily populated by VDP members, killing at least 133 people and injuring over 200 in under two hours, according to the HRW report.
HRW is calling for the International Criminal Court (ICC) to open a preliminary examination into potential war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by all parties involved in the conflict since the September 2022 coup. The report specifically names Captain Traore, as transitional President and commander of the armed forces, as potentially criminally liable for abuses committed by the Burkinabe military and VDPs under the principle of command responsibility.
Beyond Traore, HRW recommends investigations into the roles of six other individuals, including Burkina Faso’s Ambassador to Washington, Kassoum Coulibaly; current Defence Minister Celestin Simpore; and Army major general Moussa Diallo. The report also calls for investigations into the leadership of JNIM, specifically Iyad Ag Ghaly, Amadou Kouffa, Jafar Dicko, and Ousmane Dicko, for their alleged roles in abuses committed by the group.
The rights organization further urges Burkina Faso’s international partners and donors to consider imposing sanctions and suspending cooperation with the Burkinabe military until credible investigations are conducted and accountability measures are implemented. This call for sanctions reflects growing international concern over the deteriorating human rights situation in Burkina Faso and the potential for further escalation of violence.
As of Thursday, the Burkinabe government had not issued a formal response to the HRW report. The ICC has not confirmed whether it will initiate a preliminary examination into the allegations.
