A horrific attack in the town of Barsalogho, Burkina Faso, has resulted in the deaths of approximately 600 individuals, most of whom were women and children. This massacre, carried out by members of Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda affiliate, took place on August 24 as the villagers were digging protective trenches. The assault marks one of the most devastating incidents in Burkina Faso’s troubled history, which has been plagued by a jihadist insurgency that has escalated since 2015.
According to CNN, witnesses describe a scene of terror as armed militants, arriving on motorcycles, swept into the outskirts of the town, opening fire indiscriminately on those working in the trenches. “I started to crawl into the trench to escape. But it seemed that the attackers were following the trenches,” one survivor recounted. He vividly recalled the chaos, stating, “There was blood everywhere on my way. There was screaming everywhere.”
Another survivor, who lost two family members in the attack, reported that the violence persisted throughout the day, saying, “JNIM killed people all day long.” The local community faced the grim task of collecting bodies for three days following the attack, with one resident noting that there were so many corpses that burying them became a nearly impossible task, according to Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED).
Initial estimates by the United Nations suggested around 200 fatalities, but a French government security assessment reported that the death toll could be as high as 600, CNN reported. This tragic event reflects the deteriorating security situation in Burkina Faso, where jihadist groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State have wreaked havoc, killing nearly 3,800 people this year alone, according to ACLED.
The conflict has forced more than two million people from their homes, leaving the nation grappling with severe humanitarian crises. As the violence continues, the military’s strategy of ordering locals to dig trenches for protection has proven tragically ineffective. JNIM has warned civilians against supporting the army, adding to the pervasive atmosphere of fear and instability in the region.
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