An assault on a military base in northern Burkina Faso on Sunday left multiple soldiers dead, while a separate attack in the south killed at least 58 civilians, sources reported on Monday, highlighting the worsening security situation in the junta-controlled country.
The attack in Djibo targeted the army base early on Sunday morning, also hitting a police station and a market, according to two security sources who spoke anonymously. The casualties included soldiers, pro-government militia fighters, and civilians, though a full death toll has yet to be confirmed.
“Many of our men have fallen, including soldiers and militia fighters. Arms have been taken, and there were many civilian casualties as well,” one source said.
This marks the latest in a series of attacks on the Djibo base, which has previously been targeted, including a 2022 assault that killed 10 soldiers and wounded 50. The area is known to be a hotspot for Al-Qaeda affiliate JNIM operations.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. Burkina Faso’s military junta, led by Ibrahim Traore, came to power in 2022 following a coup and pledged to counter the jihadist insurgency that has plagued the region for over a decade.
In the southern Koulpelogo province, bordering Togo, militants launched attacks on the villages of Bousgou, Salemboare, and Yonde over several days, beginning Thursday evening. The violence killed at least 58 civilians, according to Segda Bila, a member of the local burial committee.
Meanwhile, human rights organizations continue to criticize the junta for its handling of the insurgency. On Monday, Human Rights Watch accused the military of participating in the massacre of more than 130 Fulani civilians in the western Boucle du Mouhoun region in March. The government dismissed online images of the killings as a “disinformation campaign.”
The government did not respond to requests for comment on the latest violence.