Over 200 people were killed and 140 injured in the Burkinabe town of Barsalogho in a recent attack by the al-Qaeda-linked armed group JNIM. Women and children were among the casualties, with soldiers missing as well. The attack was carried out as the group continues to advance and seize territory in Burkina Faso, creating a dire situation in the country. JNIM, formed in 2017, aims to establish an Islamic caliphate in the Sahel region and has been responsible for numerous attacks across Burkina Faso and Mali. The group funds its activities through extortion, kidnapping, and smuggling. Burkina Faso is now the most terrorism-affected country in the world, according to the Global Terrorism Index, with nearly 2,000 people killed in terrorist attacks in 2023. The military government, which took power in 2022, has not been successful in addressing the security situation, with JNIM and other armed groups gaining more territory despite massive recruitment efforts. Civilian casualties are increasing, and the country’s smaller size and dense population exacerbate the impact of attacks. With Western soldiers leaving the region and ties with France severed, the military government’s reliance on Russia and the Wagner Group has not led to significant gains in the fight against armed groups. As the situation worsens in Burkina Faso, concerns grow about the effectiveness of the military government and the potential for increased violence and displacement in the region.
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