Burkina Faso Military Accused of War Crimes, Ethnic Cleansing by Human Rights Watch

A new report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) alleges that Burkina Faso's military and allied militias are committing widespread atrocities, including the ethnic cleansing of Fulani civilians. These actions are described as amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity in the West African nation, with over 1,800 civilians killed since January 2023.

HRW Details Extensive Abuses in "None Can Run Away" Report

Released on Thursday, the HRW report, titled "None Can Run Away," presented findings gathered from over 450 in-person and phone interviews conducted between January 2023 and August 2025 across Burkina Faso, Benin, Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Mali. Researchers also utilized extensive open-source analysis, including satellite imagery, audiovisual footage, and official documents, to verify 57 incidents.

The investigations implicated Burkinabe military forces, allied militias known as the Volunteers for the Defence of the Homeland (VDPs), and the al-Qaeda-linked armed group Jama'at Nusrat al‑Islam wa al‑Muslimin (JNIM). All groups were found responsible for war crimes such as wilful killing, attacks on civilians and civilian objects, pillage, looting, and forced displacement.

Civilian Death Toll Exceeds 1,800, Millions Displaced

Between January 2023 and August 2025, 1,837 civilians were killed in Burkina Faso, with government forces responsible for more than 1,200 of these deaths. The United Nations estimates that at least two million people have been displaced since the conflict began, highlighting a deepening humanitarian crisis.

Calls for Accountability for Command Responsibility

HRW has urged investigations into President Ibrahim Traore, the supreme commander of the armed forces, and six senior Burkinabe military commanders for their potential liability in grave abuses. Similarly, Iyad Ag Ghaly, the JNIM supreme leader, who is already wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC), and four JNIM commanders, may be liable under command responsibility for abuses committed by JNIM in Burkina Faso.

Ethnic Cleansing Targets Fulani Communities

The report specifically details how the military government, which seized power in September 2022, and its allies have targeted the Fulani ethnic group. They are accused of ethnic cleansing against entire communities due to alleged support for armed groups. One particularly deadly incident saw the Burkinabe military and allied militias kill over 400 civilians in December 2023 across 16 villages near the northern town of Djibo.

Olley News Insight: The alarming scale of atrocities in Burkina Faso, coupled with what Human Rights Watch describes as a "lack of global attention" and efforts to curtail reporting, underscores a critical and often overlooked humanitarian crisis in the Sahel region. Effective international pressure and independent investigations are vital to ensure accountability and protect civilian lives.

Victim Testimonies Reveal Brutal Killings

HRW interviewed relatives of victims, providing harrowing accounts of widespread threats and violence used to control and punish communities. In November 2023, government-allied militias reportedly killed 13 Fulani civilians, including six women and four children, in the western village of Basse. A 41-year-old witness recounted, "All the bodies, except for that of my son, were grouped together in the courtyard, blindfolded with their torn clothes and their hands tied behind their backs… riddled with bullets. My son… was lying on his stomach. He had been shot in the back of the neck."

Another incident on August 24, 2024, saw JNIM fighters kill at least 133 civilians, including dozens of children, in the central town of Barsalogho. A 39-year-old survivor described the attack: "People were falling like flies. They came to exterminate us. They did not spare anyone." Five of his family members were killed.

Key Takeaways

  • Human Rights Watch accuses Burkina Faso's military and armed groups of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
  • More than 1,800 civilians have been killed since January 2023, with over 1,200 attributed to government forces.
  • The military is implicated in the ethnic cleansing of Fulani civilians.
  • President Ibrahim Traore and senior military commanders, alongside JNIM leaders, face calls for investigation for grave abuses.
  • At least two million people have been displaced due to the ongoing conflict.