An al-Qaeda affiliate, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), has claimed responsibility for a deadly attack on a military outpost in Burkina Faso’s northern Loroum province, in which the group said it killed 60 soldiers, according to the SITE Intelligence Group.
- An al-Qaeda affiliate, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), has claimed responsibility for a deadly attack on a military outpost in Burkina Faso’s northern Loroum province.
- In 2023 alone, more than 8,000 people were killed in Burkina Faso due to violence in the country.
- An army base in Djibo also came under heavy attack early Sunday, with militants also targeting a local police station and market.
An al-Qaeda affiliate, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), has claimed responsibility for a deadly attack on a military outpost in Burkina Faso’s northern Loroum province, in which the group said it killed 60 soldiers, according to the SITE Intelligence Group.
The recent wave of attacks shows the ongoing struggle that Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, each governed by military-led administrations, face in tackling extremist insurgencies.
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Burkina Faso’s junta leader, Ibrahim Traoré, who has captured the support of many Africans, particularly the youth, rose to power in a 2022 coup, pledging to push back against the jihadist insurgency that has gripped the region since it first erupted in Mali over a decade ago.
But despite his promises, no significant progress has been made. In 2023 alone, more than 8,000 people were killed in Burkina Faso due to violence in the country. And around 2.6 million people across Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger are currently displaced.
Ongoing attacks and mounting casualties
According to the SITE Intelligence Group, the deadliest attack took place in the town of Solle, where militants from al-Qaeda-linked Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) stormed a military base and killed dozens of soldiers.
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In a separate incident, SITE reported that 10 members of the pro-government Volunteers for the Defence of the Homeland (VDP) militia were killed in Gnagna province, in eastern Burkina Faso.
An army base in Djibo also came under heavy attack early Sunday, with militants also targeting a local police station and market. The Djibo base has come under attack multiple times, including in October 2022, when 10 soldiers were killed and 50 wounded.
At the time of this report, Burkina Faso’s government has not issued any public statement on the latest assaults.
