At least 22 soldiers and civilian auxiliaries supporting the armed forces were killed in fresh attacks attributed to suspected jihadists over the past weekend in northern Burkina Faso.

Burkina Faso, currently governed by the military junta led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré since his September 2022 coup, has endured a decade of devastating offensives from jihadist groups aligned with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, impacting vast areas of its territory.

On Saturday morning, the base of one of the Rapid Intervention Battalions (BIR) in Di, near Dédougou, became a target for jihadists. Despite a valiant defense, the engagement resulted in the loss of at least fourteen soldiers and seven VDP (Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland), who are civilian auxiliaries to the army. These VDP, recruited in their thousands, bear a significant burden in the anti-jihadist struggle.

Additionally, another assault targeted the Solhan detachment in the northeast, leading to several fatalities, including an officer. A comprehensive counter-operation was immediately launched in response. Further details indicated that a third attack occurred on Sunday, striking a military post in Séguénéga, a locality situated near Kaya in the central-north region.

Following these incidents, a coordinated response and pursuit operation, initiated on Saturday, successfully neutralized dozens of terrorists and led to the recovery of various military equipment and logistical resources. Solhan has a tragic history, having been the site of one of the country’s deadliest attacks in June 2021, which resulted in an estimated 130 to 160 civilian deaths.

On Monday, the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda affiliate, claimed responsibility for multiple Burkina Faso attacks against army positions in several cities, asserting the death of numerous Burkinabè soldiers.

Diplomatic Tensions Amidst Security Challenges

The authoritarian, repressive, and sovereignist military regime in Burkina Faso has, for several years, ceased to publicly disclose the number of soldiers killed in such assaults. Instead, it occasionally reports on the casualties inflicted upon “terrorists,” figures that are challenging to independently verify.

Just last week, the Burkinabè General Staff announced in a communiqué that its forces had neutralized over 400 terrorists following complex and coordinated attacks on their positions in Gayéri (Sirba region), Solhan, and Sebba (Liptako region). The military leadership linked these assaults to the unilateral diplomatic rupture with France, announced in late June. Ouagadougou reiterated accusations of French “support” for jihadists and of “feeding a distorted narrative regarding the country’s security situation.”

After years of escalating tensions, Ouagadougou severed diplomatic ties with Paris, citing France’s “incessant activism” against its national interests. France, in turn, expressed regret over the military government’s “hostile and unfounded” decision, subsequently announcing the withdrawal of all its diplomats from Burkina Faso and demanding the departure of Burkinabè diplomatic personnel from France by July 6th. Ouagadougou has not publicly commented on the departure of its diplomatic staff from France.

Soon after assuming power, the junta had already demanded the recall of France’s ambassador to Ouagadougou, Luc Hallade, and the withdrawal of the French army, which had long been involved in anti-jihadist operations. Since then, Burkina Faso has sought new international partners, including Russia, and has formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) confederation alongside neighboring Mali and Niger. The growing security challenges across West Africa continue to be a significant concern.

Notably, Niamey is scheduled to host a meeting on Wednesday involving the foreign ministers of these four nations, highlighting regional cooperation on pressing issues, including Niger security and overall stability in the Sahel.