Deadly Burkina Faso Attack by Al-Qaida-Linked Militants

At least 100 villagers and soldiers were killed in a Burkina Faso village during a weekend attack by al-Qaida-linked militants. The assault is among the deadliest this year. Jihadis, exploiting weak air cover and border control, opened fire on villagers assisting in security efforts. The government has pledged medical and humanitarian aid.

At least 100 villagers and soldiers were killed in central Burkina Faso during a weekend attack on a village by al-Qaida-linked jihadis, according to videos of the violence analyzed by a regional specialist, who described the assault as one of the deadliest this year in the conflict-battered West African nation.

Villagers in the Barsalogho commune, 80 kilometers (50 miles) from the capital city, were forcibly helping security forces dig trenches to protect security outposts and villages when fighters with the al-Qaida-linked JNIM group invaded and opened fire, said Wassim Nasr, a Sahel specialist and senior research fellow at the Soufan Center security think tank.

Al-Qaida claimed responsibility on Sunday, saying it gained "total control over a militia position" in Barsalogho, a strategic town where security forces have resisted jihadis trying to advance on the capital, Ouagadougou.

At least 100 bodies were counted in videos of the attack, Nasr said. The Associated Press reviewed videos appearing to show bodies beside trenches and shovels amid gunshots, but could not independently verify the count.

Burkina Faso's security minister, Mahamadou Sana, said on state television that the government responded with ground and air support. Among the fatalities were soldiers and civilians, he said, without giving an exact count.

"We are not going to accept such barbarity on the territory," said Sana, noting that the government directed medical and humanitarian aid to those affected and remains committed to protecting lives.

About half of Burkina Faso is outside government control due to increasing jihadi attacks that have killed thousands and displaced over 2 million people. The violence led to two coups in 2022, and the ruling military junta has struggled to curb attacks despite seeking new security partnerships with Russia and other countries in Africa's Sahel region.

At least 4,500 people have been killed in attacks this year, averaging 19 daily, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project. Junta leader Capt. Ibrahim Traore, who activists say has coerced critics into joining the army, has also requested civilian assistance in military efforts. Volunteers for the Defence of the Fatherland (VDP) is already working closely with the military.

The trenches in Barsalogho are among several that authorities urged civilians to help create in areas targeted by jihadis. The militants are becoming more successful due to weak air cover, intelligence, and ineffective border control, according to Nasr. Human rights abuses by security forces and VDP have also driven more to join the jihadis, he said.

(With inputs from agencies.)