Burkina Faso junta failing to contain Jihadist violence
An attack that killed hundreds of civilians in Burkina Faso on August 24th underscores the ruling military junta’s failure to control the growing wave of jihadist violence, as reported by AFP on September 10th.
The attack in the village of Barsalogho was one of the deadliest ever recorded in Burkina Faso, with the Al-Qaeda-affiliated group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM) claiming responsibility.
Read: 200 dead in Burkina Faso military massacre, rights group says
Captain Ibrahim Traoré seized power in Burkina Faso during a 2022 coup, vowing to restore stability to a nation overwhelmed by jihadist insurgencies.
Since 2015, jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State have killed over 20,000 people.
In a dramatic shift, Burkina Faso severed ties with France, expelling French diplomats and troops involved in anti-jihadist operations.
The country has since turned to Russia for military aid and strengthened its relationships with Iran, Turkey, and regional allies Mali and Niger.
Two years later, Traoré has largely failed to deliver on his promise of restoring order.
AFP
