Human Rights Watch says Burkina Faso’s army summarily executed 223 civilians

Update: April 26, 2024: Burkina Faso has announced the suspension of BBC and VOA radio programmes for 2 weeks over alleged bias in reporting on the civilian massacre. The government also blocked access to the websites of the BBC, VOA, and Human Rights Watch (HRW) within the country. This follows the media outlets covering the report by HRW accusing the Burkinabe army of human rights abuses.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has unveiled a devastating toll of civilian lives lost in a single day within Burkina Faso this year. The report highlights a gruesome account of atrocities allegedly perpetrated by the country’s military, resulting in the deaths of over 220 civilians, including at least 56 children.

The killings took place on February 25th, with the villages of Soro and Nondin serving as witnesses to the huge loss.

According to HRW, Soro bore the brunt of the violence, with 179 lives lost, while 44 others perished in the neighbouring village of Nondin. These mass killings have been labelled as some of the most egregious abuses by the army in nearly a decade.

“The massacres in Nondin and Soro villages are just the latest mass killings of civilians by the Burkina Faso military in their counterinsurgency operations,” said Tirana Hassan, executive director of Human Rights Watch.

The Rights Group added that “the repeated failure of the Burkinabè authorities to prevent and investigate such atrocities underlines why international assistance is critical to support a credible investigation into possible crimes against humanity.”

Despite the gravity of the situation, Burkina Faso authorities have chosen to remain silent on the matter, prompting concerns and condemnation from the international community. However, public prosecutor Aly Benjamin Coulibaly has issued a public plea for witnesses to step forward and assist in identifying those responsible for the massacre, initially estimating the death toll at 170.

Eyewitness testimonies provided chilling accounts of the military’s assault on the villages. Survivors recounted a horrifying scene where a convoy of over 100 soldiers descended upon Nondin village shortly after Islamist fighters had passed through. The soldiers reportedly rounded up villagers, forced them into groups, and ruthlessly opened fire, sparing no one, including those seeking refuge.

The brutality did not end there. Just kilometres away, in Soro village, the military repeated their deadly actions, indiscriminately shooting at villagers and those attempting to flee.

Attempting to justify these heinous acts, the military has claimed retaliation against villagers accused of aiding Islamist fighters, following an attack on a nearby military camp by insurgent forces in the northern Yatenga province.

Tirana Hassan, the executive director of Human Rights Watch, condemned the massacres, highlighting them as the latest in a string of civilian atrocities committed by the Burkina Faso military in their counterinsurgency efforts.

Burkina Faso, under the governance of a military junta since a coup in 2022, had pledged to quell the insurgency. However, violence has persisted, with jihadist groups now controlling over a third of the country.

International entities, including the European Union and the United Nations, have accused Burkina Faso of grave human rights violations in its fight against insurgency, citing indiscriminate killings and forced disappearances of civilians as among the atrocities committed.

As the world grapples with the aftermath of these horrific events, the spotlight remains on Burkina Faso’s leadership and its commitment to upholding human rights in the face of escalating violence and instability.

The armed conflict in Burkina Faso has forced two million people from their homes and led to the shutdown of over 6,100 schools since 2021.

Mimi Mefo Info