In northern Burkina Faso last Friday, at least 51 soldiers were killed in a jihadist assault on a military unit. The army responded with an airstrike, a figure the Burkinabe Armed Forces initially put at eight fatalities. Later, the military stated that 43 additional bodies were recovered at the end of a shift on Monday, February 20, 2023, bringing the provisional toll to 51 fallen soldiers. The official note also highlighted continued operations, noting that air actions were intensified and that around a hundred militants were neutralized alongside the destruction of equipment. An update added that since the onset of the campaign, approximately 60 jihadists had been neutralized.
Shortly after releasing that statement, the military reported another clash in which 60 insurgents were killed in an airstrike directed at a gunmen unit, following an ambush that had claimed eight soldiers. The defense document noted seven armed vehicles and numerous motorcycles destroyed by aircraft from the National Armed Forces. The incident occurred in Oudalan province, within the Sahel region in the north of the country.
Following the loss of life, Burkina Faso’s interim president, Captain Abraham Traoré, conveyed the nation’s condolences to the Army and to the families of the victims. He emphasized that the struggle is arduous and marked by ambushes, but he affirmed that the country’s patriotic resolve remains intact and that victory is the ultimate goal.
Burkina Faso has faced recurrent jihadist violence since 2015, with groups linked to both al Qaeda and the Islamic State operating primarily in the north. The country experienced two military coups in 2022, one led by Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba in January and another under Captain Abraham Traoré in September. Government data indicate that the turnover of power followed widespread discontent with the Army after jihadist assaults displaced approximately 1.9 million people during both episodes. The broader security situation continues to shape political stability and humanitarian needs across the region, prompting regional partners and international observers to monitor developments in real time. [attribution: Burkinabe Armed Forces], [attribution: Government of Burkina Faso], [attribution: Regional Security Updates].