Burkina Faso Military Accused of Massacring Over 100 Civilians – HRW

• May 12, 2025

At least 130 civilians were killed by Burkina Faso’s military and allied militias in March near Solenzo, according to a new Human Rights Watch (HRW) report.

Burkina Faso’s military and pro-government militias have been accused of carrying out a brutal massacre that left at least 130 civilians dead in March, near the western town of Solenzo. The findings, published in a new report by Human Rights Watch (HRW), describe widespread civilian casualties and displacement, particularly among the Fulani ethnic group.

The Fulani, a predominantly Muslim pastoralist community, have frequently been accused by the government of supporting Islamist militants—an allegation strongly denied by Fulani leaders.

The reported massacre followed an operation led by Burkinabè special forces. HRW says it conducted interviews with local witnesses, militia members, journalists, and civil society actors, and analyzed videos shared on social media to corroborate the military’s involvement.

The group says this attack is part of a broader pattern of violence in Burkina Faso, where approximately 40% of the country remains under the control of armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State. The ongoing conflict in the Sahel region has killed thousands and displaced millions.

Despite promises from Burkina Faso’s military leadership to combat the insurgency, militant attacks continue. Over the weekend before the report’s release, unconfirmed reports surfaced of further attacks resulting in dozens of military and civilian casualties. The authorities have not responded publicly, and the BBC has been unable to independently verify the reports.

The HRW report also notes that at least 100 more civilians were killed in April in retaliatory attacks by jihadist groups against those perceived to support the government.

In response to previous allegations of atrocities, the government has often dismissed such claims as unfounded. Last year, it rejected another HRW report that accused soldiers of killing 223 civilians, insisting that all accusations of abuse in the fight against terrorism are systematically investigated.

HRW has condemned the killings as potential war crimes and has urged the Burkinabè government to ensure accountability by investigating and prosecuting those responsible.

This report coincides with junta leader Captain Ibrahim Traoré’s return from a trip to Moscow, where he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss security cooperation in the Sahel. Since the military took power, Burkina Faso has distanced itself from former colonial power France and increasingly aligned with Russia in its efforts to counter Islamist insurgents.