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Human Rights Watch Says Burkina Faso Forces, JNIM Killed 1,837 Civilians

HRW said the army, militias and JNIM killed at least 1,837 civilians in 57 attacks and urged accountability for war crimes.

  • On Thursday, Human Rights Watch released the 316-page report "None Can Run Away," documenting war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Army, Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland , and JNIM.
  • Between January 2023 and August 2025, the Army, VDPs, and JNIM killed at least 1,837 civilians across 11 regions in 57 incidents, including dozens of children, the report found.
  • In one of the deadliest attacks, Burkinabe military and VDPs killed hundreds of civilians in December 2023 near Djibo; JNIM fighters in August 2024 "shot dead at least 133 people and injured more than 200 in fewer than two hours" in Barsalogho.
  • Human Rights Watch called for investigations into transitional President Captain Ibrahim Traore and JNIM supreme leader Iyad Ag Ghaly for command responsibility, citing evidence these abuses amount to serious international crimes.
  • Philippe Bolopion, executive director of Human Rights Watch, urged international partners to impose targeted sanctions and promote accountability, stating the world needs to recognize the "devastating impact" of the conflict.
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Center

Burkina, Mali troops kill more civilians than jihadists do, data shows

Government and allied forces in Burkina Faso have killed more than twice as many civilians as Islamist militants have since 2023, according to a tally of incidents documented in a report published on Thursday by Human Rights Watch.

·United Kingdom
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Lean Left

War crimes: More than 1,800 civilians have been killed and millions of people displaced in West African Burkina Faso, by both the military…

·Netherlands (Kingdom of the)
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Human Rights Watch broke the news in New York, United States on Thursday, April 2, 2026.
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