Jihadist Attacks Kill Dozens in Northeastern Burkina Faso

Two deadly jihadist attacks in northeastern Burkina Faso earlier this week left dozens of soldiers and civilians dead, according to multiple security and local sources.

The first attack occurred on Monday when a military unit in the village of Dargo came under assault by armed terrorist groups. A regional security source described it as a “major” assault, resulting in “several dozens of deaths on each side.”

A second attack that same day targeted a supply convoy travelling between the towns of Dori and Gorom-Gorom. According to a security official, the convoy was ambushed, killing multiple soldiers and civilians — including truck drivers transporting goods.

A road haulage company manager confirmed the convoy ambush, stating that around 20 drivers and their assistants were killed.

On Tuesday, the militant group Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), affiliated with Al-Qaeda, claimed responsibility for the military base attack, claiming to have killed 40 Burkinabe soldiers.

The United Nations identifies JNIM as one of the most potent jihadist threats in the Sahel, a region plagued by escalating violence from both JNIM and Islamic State-linked militants since 2015.

Wamaps, a network of West African journalists focused on Sahel security, reported that the Dargo assault was one of the deadliest recent attacks on Burkina Faso’s military. The group, citing local sources, estimated that around 50 soldiers were killed.

Regarding the convoy ambush, Wamaps reported that nearly 200 Islamic State fighters participated, killing at least 15 escorting soldiers and executing more than 10 civilian drivers.