At least 17 soldiers and 36 armed helpers have been killed in fighting between the army and Islamists in Burkina Faso. The fighting in the north of the country ruled by a military junta continues.
According to state information, more than 50 security forces have been killed by suspected terrorists in the West African country of Burkina Faso. The army said 17 soldiers and 36 paramilitary volunteers were killed and around 30 injured in an offensive in the Islamist-occupied north of the country near the borders with Mali and Niger. The security forces, for their part, killed “several dozen” opposing fighters. Only on Saturday had the army reported more than 100 suspected terrorists killed.
The army is trying to recapture areas in the region controlled by Islamists in order to enable displaced villagers to return to their homes. The fighting is still going on. This is the heaviest fighting in months.
Millions are fleeing Islamists
In Burkina Faso, which has a population of around 21 million, as in the neighboring countries of Mali and Niger, armed groups are active, some of whom have sworn allegiance to the terrorist militia “Islamic State” or the terrorist network Al Qaeda. More than two million people are displaced within the country. The terrorist groups now control an estimated half of the national territory.
The military government under General Ibrahim Traoré, which came to power after two coups in autumn 2022, has so far tried in vain to push back the jihadists. In doing so, they are trying to compensate for the reduced military clout by volunteer fighters, who are mainly deployed in the north. In addition, the government in Ouagadougou has signaled an interest in cooperation with Russia.