Human Rights Watch Reports Over 1,800 Civilian Deaths in Burkina Faso Since 2023

A recent report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) documents over 1,800 civilian deaths in Burkina Faso between January 2023 and August 2025, attributing the majority to government forces and allied militias. The report identifies 1,255 civilian deaths caused by the military and its affiliated militias, while Islamist militants are held responsible for the remaining fatalities. HRW suggests that President Ibrahim Traoré and six senior military commanders may bear command responsibility for these abuses and recommends further investigation. The report also implicates five jihadist leaders in the violence. The Burkinabé authorities have not yet commented on these findings. The military, which seized power in September 2022, had pledged to combat jihadist groups linked to al-Qaeda that have been active in Burkina Faso and neighboring countries for over a decade. The HRW report is based on open-source information, including photos, videos, satellite imagery, and interviews with witnesses and survivors. It accuses all parties involved of committing war crimes such as willful killing, attacks on civilians and civilian objects, pillage, looting, and forced displacement. The report highlights a December 2023 incident in which the military and allied militias allegedly killed more than 400 civilians in the northern town of Djibo. Survivors described the killings as brutal and reported ongoing psychological trauma. HRW is urging the International Criminal Court to open a preliminary investigation into the alleged crimes committed by all parties since September 2022. The organization also calls on Burkina Faso's partners and donors to impose sanctions and refrain from cooperating with the country's army. President Traoré, who took power in September 2022 after overthrowing Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, has gained a following for his pan-Africanist vision and criticism of Western influence. Under his leadership, Burkina Faso, along with neighboring Mali and Niger, has shifted away from Western partnerships, especially with France, in its fight against Islamist groups, turning instead to Russia for military assistance. Despite these changes, the violence has continued unabated.