Massacre in Burkina Faso: Over 100 civilians killed by government forces – HRW

At least 100 civilians were killed by government-aligned forces in Burkina Faso in March near the western town of Solenzo, according to a damning report released Monday by Human Rights Watch (HRW).

Drawing on survivor accounts and video evidence shared on social media, HRW identified the perpetrators as members of the country’s special forces and the Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland (VDP), a pro-government militia established to support the military’s campaign against Islamist insurgents.

All victims of the massacre belonged to the ethnic Fulani community, a pastoralist group often targeted over alleged ties to jihadist groups operating in the Sahel. Witnesses told HRW that security forces rounded up villagers, separated the men, and summarily executed them — many in front of their families.

“The scale and deliberate nature of the killings point to an organized operation that may amount to crimes under international law,” said Ilaria Allegrozzi, senior Sahel researcher for Human Rights Watch. “The government must urgently investigate and hold those responsible to account.”

This marks one of the deadliest mass killings by state forces in Burkina Faso’s escalating war against jihadist insurgents. Since 2015, the country has been engulfed in a brutal conflict, with violence frequently spilling over into ethnic targeting and reprisal killings.

An earlier HRW report had suggested probable state involvement based on video footage but stopped short of assigning full responsibility.

The new report, however, presents what HRW describes as “credible and consistent” evidence linking the killings to official security forces and their auxiliaries.

The government of Burkina Faso has yet to issue a formal response, but military authorities have in the past denied targeting civilians, stating that operations are conducted strictly against “terrorist threats.”

The massacre raises renewed concerns about the conduct of Burkina Faso’s counterterrorism strategy, especially since the military seized power in a 2022 coup, promising to restore security.

Instead, civilian deaths have surged, and rights groups warn of growing impunity.

Human Rights Watch has called for an independent investigation, possibly with international involvement, and urged international partners to condition military support on human rights compliance.