Burkina Faso army responsible for majority of civilian deaths

Burkina Faso’s army and pro-government militias have killed more than twice as many civilians as Islamist militants since 2023, according to data from Human Rights Watch (HRW), Maghrebi Week reported on April 6th.

Since 2023, HRW documented at least 1,837 civilian deaths, including 1,255 attributed to government forces, with abuses including mass killings, disappearances and village destruction.

HRW said abuses by all sides may amount to crimes against humanity, while the military junta government has claimed that military operations target armed groups and are conducted with the aim of restoring security and stability in the landlocked Sahel country that is experiencing surging Islamist violence.

Maghrebi Week