A video circulating on social media, showing a recent civilian massacre in Burkina Faso, appears to implicate government-allied militia, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW). The global human rights watchdog has called on Burkinabè authorities to investigate the footage and prosecute those responsible for the killings.
Testimonies gathered by Human Rights Watch indicate that security forces and militia groups aligned with the government carried out large-scale operations in the Solenzo countryside on Monday and Tuesday. The attacks reportedly targeted displaced Fulani communities in what appears to be a retaliatory attack. The Burkina Faso government has long accused Fulani populations of supporting Muslim extremist groups operating in the region.
“The gruesome videos of an apparent massacre by pro-government militias in Burkina Faso underscore the pervasive lack of accountability of these forces,” said Ilaria Allegrozzi, Senior Sahel Researcher at Human Rights Watch. “Burkinabè authorities should take immediate action to end militia group attacks on civilians by punishing those responsible for atrocities like in Solenzo.”
The government of Burkina Faso has declined to comment on the HRW report.
Burkina Faso, a landlocked country in the Sahel region of West Africa with a population of approximately 23 million, has become a symbol of the region’s deepening security crisis. The country has been plagued by escalating violence from Islamist extremist groups and retaliatory actions by government forces. The situation has worsened due to two military coups in the past two years, with much of the violence spilling over from neighboring Mali.
Human Rights Watch has urged the international community to increase pressure on the Burkinabè government to protect civilians, ensure accountability for human rights violations, and address the root causes of violence in the region.
Stay tuned to Alayo Radio TV for updates on this developing story and the latest global news.