Faith Nyasuguta
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on Burkina Faso’s military rulers to investigate a “gruesome” massacre in the western city of Solenzo that left dozens dead last week. The attack, allegedly carried out by militias allied with the military junta, has sparked international outrage and demands for accountability.
The massacre, which occurred on March 10 and 11, came to light after disturbing videos surfaced on social media. The footage allegedly shows soldiers and local militias executing civilians accused of collaborating with Islamist insurgents in the Sahel region. HRW reported that the videos depict at least 58 victims, including women, children, and the elderly, many with their hands and feet bound. Bodies were piled on top of each other, suggesting the death toll may be even higher.
The perpetrators reportedly wore identifiable uniforms of government-aligned militias, operating under the junta’s authority. HRW’s senior Sahel researcher, Ilaria Allegrozzi, condemned the killings, accusing Burkina Faso’s security forces and allied militias of “committing serious crimes against an exhausted population without fear of consequence.”
According to HRW, the victims appear to be ethnic Fulani, a group of nomadic herders often stigmatized and accused of working with jihadist groups. Islamist militants have long exploited Fulani frustrations over corruption and land disputes to recruit fighters, further deepening tensions.
Local sources told the AFP news agency that the massacre may have been a retaliatory attack following an Islamist ambush earlier in March. The rapid intervention battalions, created by junta leader Captain Ibrahim Traore to fight extremist groups, and government-backed volunteer militias were implicated in the killings. These forces have repeatedly faced accusations of abuses against civilians in the fight against jihadists.
Prime Minister Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouedraogo rejected the accusations, labeling the videos “manipulative actions aimed at calling into question the actions of the fighting forces.” He defended the military’s counter-terrorism operations, stating, “The army’s steamroller is crushing the enemy in these areas.”
Despite mounting concerns over human rights abuses, the Burkinabe government announced the creation of new battalions and militias, aiming to recruit 14,000 soldiers and thousands of civilian support staff. The move is part of an intensified effort to combat jihadist violence, which has surged across Burkina Faso and its Sahel neighbors Mali and Niger over the past decade.
Burkina Faso has been gripped by violence since 2015, as Islamist insurgents linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (IS) spread terror across the region. The conflict has claimed over 26,000 lives in the country, with more than half of those deaths occurring after the September 2022 coup that brought the military junta to power, according to conflict monitor ACLED.
The ongoing violence has displaced over two million people and left vast swathes of the country outside government control. Human rights organizations warn that Burkina Faso’s military strategy risks alienating communities and worsening the conflict. Allegrozzi called for “impartial investigations and appropriate prosecution of those responsible for these heinous crimes.”
As the international community watches closely, pressure is mounting on Burkina Faso’s government to address the alleged atrocities and prevent further violence. Rights groups continue to urge justice for the victims and protection for civilians caught in the crossfire of a brutal conflict that shows no signs of slowing down.
The massacre in Solenzo serves as a grim reminder of the human cost of Burkina Faso’s war on extremism. Without accountability and meaningful reforms, the cycle of violence is likely to persist, leaving more innocent lives shattered.
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