Burkina Faso has been engulfed in a jihadist insurgency since 2015, but a new Human Rights Watch report has brought into sharp focus the catastrophic human cost that has accumulated since 2023: more than 1,800 civilians killed by a combination of government forces and jihadist armed groups.
A Conflict With No Distinguishing Heroes
Human Rights Watch's detailed documentation describes a pattern in which Burkinabè security forces have carried out extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and mass arbitrary arrests — often targeting communities suspected of sympathy with jihadist groups. On the other side, jihadist groups have conducted systematic attacks on civilian targets — markets, places of worship, schools, and health facilities.
The Complicity of Foreign Forces
Burkina Faso's military government has increasingly turned to Russia's Wagner Group — now officially integrated into Russia's African Corps — for security support. The presence of Russian military contractors has been accompanied by allegations of atrocities that mirror those documented in the Central African Republic and Mali.
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
More than two million people have been internally displaced. The UN World Food Programme has repeatedly warned that parts of northern Burkina Faso are facing famine conditions. The closure of health facilities and schools has disrupted basic services across vast swathes of the countryside.
The Volunteer Defense Corps: A Double-Edged Sword
In response to the overwhelming security challenge, the government has promoted Volunteer for the Defense of the Homeland (VDP) units — civilian militias given basic military training. Human Rights Watch has documented cases where VDP members have been implicated in abuses against civilian populations.
The International Response: Almost Invisible
Burkina Faso's crisis receives a fraction of the media attention devoted to conflicts in Europe or the Middle East. The country has no significant oil resources, no major Western hostages, and no strategic value that activates the interest of major powers. The African Union's response has been limited.
What Comes Next
The trajectory is alarming. The insurgency shows no signs of abating. Without a significant change in approach — toward genuine protection of civilians, accountability for abuses by all parties, and serious investment in political and development solutions — Burkina Faso risks becoming another forgotten crisis.