Human Rights Watch accuses Burkina Faso military of horrific civilian abuses

Human Rights Watch Report Reveals Atrocities Committed by Burkinabe Military and Allied Groups

A report released by Human Rights Watch has found that over 1,800 civilians have been killed in Burkina Faso since January 2023. The New York-based organization conducted extensive research, including interviews with over 450 individuals and analysis of satellite imagery, audiovisual footage, and official documents.

According to the report, Burkinabe military forces and allied militias, known as the Volunteers for the Defence of the Homeland (VDPs), were responsible for 57 incidents involving war crimes, including wilful killing, attacks on civilians, pillage, and forced displacement. The rights NGO also found that Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda-linked armed group, was involved in several incidents.

The report states that more than 1,200 of the 1,837 civilian deaths were attributed to government forces. At least two million people have been displaced since the conflict began, according to the United Nations.

Human Rights Watch has identified President Ibrahim Traore and six senior Burkinabe military commanders as potentially liable for grave abuses and recommends they be investigated. Iyad Ag Ghaly, the JNIM supreme leader, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court, and four JNIM commanders may also face investigation due to command responsibility.

The report highlights several incidents, including a deadly attack in December 2023 that killed over 400 civilians in 16 villages near Djibo. The Burkinabe military targeted the Fulani ethnic group, resulting in their ethnic cleansing.

Human Rights Watch has interviewed relatives of victims, who described widespread threats and violence used to dominate and punish communities. The organization’s executive director, Philippe Bolopion, stated that the scale of atrocities in Burkina Faso is “mind-boggling” and called for global attention to the crisis.

Source: Al Jazeera