Burkina Faso Forces Accused of Mass Civilian Killings in Fulani Areas

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused Burkina Faso’s military and allied militia of carrying out a massacre that claimed the lives of at least 130 civilians in March, near the western town of Solenzo. The rights group detailed the findings in a report released Monday, attributing the killings to a counterinsurgency operation led by Burkinabè special forces.

The victims were primarily members of the Fulani community—a pastoralist, predominantly Muslim ethnic group that has frequently been accused by the government of supporting Islamist insurgents, a claim strongly rejected by Fulani leaders.

The HRW report links the military operation to widespread displacement and civilian deaths, stating that the massacre followed long-standing patterns of targeting ethnic communities under suspicion of militant affiliations.

Currently, around 40% of Burkina Faso’s territory is believed to be under the control of extremist groups aligned with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, particularly in the Sahel region. Despite assurances from the ruling military junta to end the insurgency, attacks persist, leaving thousands dead and millions displaced.

Unconfirmed reports over the weekend suggested fresh militant attacks resulting in numerous military and civilian casualties. The BBC has not independently verified these claims, and the Burkina Faso authorities have not issued any statements.

Previously, the Burkinabè government dismissed HRW’s 2023 report—which accused the military of killing 223 villagers—as “baseless,” insisting that any human rights abuse allegations are subject to formal investigation.

In compiling its latest report, HRW says it interviewed eyewitnesses, members of local militias, journalists, and civil society actors. The organization also analyzed video footage circulated on social media, leading to its conclusion that the Burkinabè military was directly responsible for the March killings.

The group further reported that in April, jihadist groups killed at least 100 civilians in retaliatory attacks against communities perceived as aiding government forces.

“Mass killings by state forces, local militias, and Islamist groups constitute war crimes and potentially other atrocity crimes,” HRW said. The organization has called for immediate and thorough investigations and the prosecution of all perpetrators.

The report’s release coincides with junta leader Captain Ibrahim Traoré’s return from a diplomatic visit to Moscow, where he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss security cooperation in the Sahel. Since seizing power, the military-led government has shifted away from its former colonial partner France and increasingly aligned itself with Russia in its battle against insurgency.