At least eight soldiers were killed in September when militants struck a Burkina Faso military detachment in the country’s troubled north. The attacks, carried out by the Al-Qaeda-linked group, forced terrified villagers to abandon their homes.
Security sources confirmed the detachment in Gomboro, Sourou province, was assaulted twice, first on September 12 and again on September 25. One source, speaking anonymously, reported around ten deaths and numerous wounded, including both soldiers and civilian defence militia members.
Another security official placed the confirmed toll at eight soldiers killed across the two strikes, underscoring the heavy toll on military ranks. Burkina Faso has endured unrelenting violence from armed groups tied to Al-Qaeda and the Daesh for nearly a decade.
Captain Ibrahim Traore seized power in a coup nearly three years ago, vowing to restore stability and reclaim land from insurgents. Yet vast stretches of the nation remain scarred by ambushes, raids, and displacement, leaving thousands trapped in fear and uncertainty.
In a Sunday interview, Traore blamed his army’s vulnerability on inadequate equipment at the time of his takeover, stressing ongoing challenges. Despite promises of resilience, the conflict’s shadow deepens, claiming soldiers, civilians, and homes, while the countryside echoes with silence and flight.