Burkina Faso’s military has been accused of killing 223 civilians, including 56 children, in two villages in the country’s north. The killings took place on February 25 in the villages of Nondin and Soro, and were allegedly in retaliation for an attack by Islamist fighters on a military camp near the provincial capital Ouahigouya.
Human Rights Watch, a human rights organization, released a report on Thursday detailing the killings. The report is based on interviews with survivors and witnesses, and provides a rare firsthand account of the events.
According to the report, the killings were carried out by Burkina Faso’s military in retaliation for an attack by Islamist fighters on a military camp near Ouahigouya. The military has denied the allegations, but has not provided any evidence to support its claims.
The incident is the latest in a series of human rights abuses by Burkina Faso’s security forces amid a growing jihadi insurgency. In recent years, the military has been accused of extrajudicial killings, torture, and arbitrary detention.
The government has promised to investigate the killings, but there is little hope that the perpetrators will be brought to justice. The military has a long history of impunity, and the government has shown little willingness to hold its security forces accountable for their crimes.
The killings have sparked outrage among human rights groups and international organizations. The United Nations and the African Union have called for an independent investigation into the incident.
The killings are a reminder of the ongoing human rights crisis in Burkina Faso. The country is facing a growing jihadi insurgency, and the government is struggling to maintain security. The military’s response to the insurgency has been heavy-handed and counterproductive, and has only served to further alienate the population.
The international community must take action to support human rights in Burkina Faso. The United Nations and the African Union should send investigators to the country to investigate the killings. The international community should also provide financial and technical assistance to the government to help it build a more professional and accountable security sector.
