Yesterday’s events in central Burkina Faso saw a grave toll as more than twenty people were reported dead in what authorities described as a jihadist assault. Local residents told EFE on Tuesday that traders along the highway were targeted, and that looting, arson, and killings followed as the attackers moved through the area.
“The terrorists control this road. They loot our goods, set vehicles ablaze, and when they decide, they kill and leave nothing behind. We feel powerless and angry. It often seems the authorities have forgotten us,” a local witness said.
A local reporter for EFE indicated the attack occurred around 5:00 p.m. near the village of Kanyire, close to the town of Nahao in Burkina Faso’s central region. The description of the scene included charred bodies and burning vehicles, observed by those present near the route.
The bodies were transported to the nearby city of Tenkodogo by a driver who witnessed the aftermath. Those who died were reported to be at least 28 years old, with the witness recounting the sight of the devastation at the site.
Local leader Sami Bérenger spoke on Monday about a “loss of human life” without providing a precise casualty figure, citing ongoing terrorist attacks within the commune of Bittou. He urged all residents, especially the youth, to mobilize in memory of the victims and to participate in proper burials.
Burkina Faso has endured repeated jihadist assaults since 2015, including operations in the north and groups linked to both al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. The country experienced two military coups in 2022, first on January 24 under Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, and again on September 30 led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who has since been at the helm. The power shifts followed widespread dissatisfaction with the army’s handling of jihadist violence and the resulting displacement of more than two million people, according to government data.
On June 1, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) highlighted Burkina Faso’s position atop the list of the world’s most neglected displacement crises, noting that humanitarian aid had shifted toward Ukraine in the wake of Russia’s invasion. The situation underscores the complex security and humanitarian challenges facing the region, which continue to draw international concern and local resilience efforts.