Burkina Faso's armed forces killed more than 130 civilians in March, says Human Rights Watch, says

The army of Burkina Faso led and took at a massacre of at least 130 civilians in March through the western city magnetic mestno, said Human Rights Watch (HRW).

The results published in a new report on Monday were based on testimony and an analysis of the film material divided online.

The attack was directed against the Fulani -ethnic group, which has been sold by the province of Banwa in masses in the past few months.

After the March massacre, the al-Qaeda group for the support of the Islam and Muslims (JNIM) rewarded with a series of attacks in Sourou, a province in the north.

The Islamist armed group aimed at villages, which were assumed that they helped the army and, according to HRW, killed at least 100 civilians.

“The viral videos of the atrocities from the government near Solenzo sent shock waves through the Sahel region of Africa, but they only told part of the story,” said Ilaria Allegrozzi, Senior Sahel researcher at HRW.

“Further studies discovered that Burkina Faso's military was responsible for this mass murder of Fulani civilians, followed by fatal reprisals of an Islamist armed group.”

Allegrozzi asked the government to “impartially examine these deaths and to pursue all those responsible”.

“Shot on us like animals”

HRW interviewed dozens of witnesses to the attacks and watched videos that showed abuse by Pro government volunteers (VDPS) against Fulani civilists near Solenzo and analyzed information that was published on social media.

“Thousands of Fulani families from over 20 villages set off [neighbouring] Mali in search of protection, ”said a fulani shepherd, 44, from Solenzo, whose eight family members were killed in the attacks.

“However, we could not reach Mali without crossing any villages [that were] occupied by the VDPS and the army. The VDPs shot like animals on us while drones flew over our heads. Many women and children died because they couldn't run. “

Witnesses described the direct participation of the country's army together with VDPS in the operation, including the use of military helicopters.

They also mentioned the goal of Fulani -Zivilists. A 50-year-old woman from Solenzo said to HRW: “I heard the VDPS in the Djoula language say: 'Nobody will escape! Search for the fulani everywhere. We'll all kill fulani.'”

Such a certificate is intended to confirm statements by VDP members who have been recorded in videos checked by the organization.

In a declaration published on March 15, a government spokesman said that on March 10, militia and security forces held a “terrorist” attack and killed around 100 attackers before chasing others through the bush.

The spokesman said the security forces and VDPs “took over the forest to reduce the terrorist basis”. They found women, children and the elderly “who tried the terrorists as human shields and a large herd of stolen cattle and goats” and took them to safety.

However, witnesses contradicted the government's report and said that there were no struggles between state forces and Islamist fighters near Solenzo and the military operation.

The Islamist armed groups have focused on recruiting the Fulani community, and the government has long connected the two.

Fulani witnesses said that the recent military operation drove most of the Fulani population from the province of Banwa. Hundreds are said to have fled across the border into neighboring Mali.

“Today, in the entire province, there are no longer fulani-sie fled or were killed or taken hostage,” a 53-year-old man from Solenzo told HRW.

Repressals of the Islamist Jnims

After the attacks near Solenzo, the military went towards Sourou, which has been under the control of the JNIM for seven years.

The villagers said that the army stayed in the village for about two days. The JNIM then returned and aimed at them, of which they believed they had worked with the army and their supporters.

“All men had been executed in front of the health center,” said a 60-year-old woman. “I counted up to 70 corpses.”

Allegrozzi said that the “scope of the atrocities” by government troops, militias and Islamist armed groups in the west of Burkina Faso are “still overlooked”.

She asked the United Nations Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council to “bring Burkina Faso up to her agendas and to protect civilians who are still having a serious risk”.

The Sahel region of Africa is now “more than half of all terrorism deaths”, as the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) report published in March shows.

Burkina Fasos Military Junta conquered power in 2022 after the country's government had fought to control Islamist uprisings.

The Burkina Faso authorities did not immediately answer a request for comments.