Between 10 and 11 March, Burkina Faso’s security forces and allied militias allegedly killed dozens of civilians, mostly ethnic Fulani, during operations around the city of Solenzo. Some reports suggest the toll may be in the hundreds. According to multiple sources, the attacks targeted displaced Fulani in apparent retaliation for jihadist assaults days earlier. Witnesses reported executions, mostly targeting women, children and the elderly. Authorities have long accused the Fulani of harbouring jihadists, who recruit among them by exploiting grievances over state neglect and resources. The government denied responsibility, claiming jihadists used civilians as human shields. Civil society groups have called for an independent investigation. In the wake of online threats targeting the Fulani, the Ouagadougou prosecutor launched a probe on 20 March into calls to exterminate an unnamed ethnic group. The omission of the Fulani name suggests an effort to downplay the ethnic dimension of the threats.

Sources: Ministère de la Communication, de la Culture, des Arts et du Tourisme – Burkina Faso, Human Rights Watch, Barron’s, International Crisis Group, Jeune Afrique (1), Jeune Afrique (2)

On 30 December, Burkina Faso's Transitional Legislative Assembly adopted a law granting amnesty for individuals convicted of participating in the failed coup attempt of 15 and 16 September 2015. To be eligible for the amnesty, the law requires applicants to acknowledge their involvement in the coup attempt and to demonstrate commitment to national defense efforts, good conduct during detention, and a willingness to be deployed in military operations. Analysts suggest that the amnesty aims to leverage the military and diplomatic expertise of figures like General Gilbert Diendéré and Djibril Bassolé in the fight against militant groups linked to Islamic State and al-Qaeda. However, critics argue that this move undermines accountability and the rule of law in the country, potentially entrenching impunity and weakening governance institutions.

Update: On 31 March 2025, President Ibrahim Traoré granted amnesty to 21 soldiers convicted for their roles in the 2015 coup attempt. The pardon requires recipients to support anti-terrorism efforts, though key figures Diendéré and Bassolé were excluded.

Sources: Voice of America, Radio France Internationale, Le360 Afrique, LeFaso.net, Transitional Legislative Assembly – Burkina Faso, Jeune Afrique

On 16 September, the governments of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger announced the launch of a joint indigenous media platform following the suspension of French news outlets in the region. This initiative, a web-based television channel, is intended to provide state-controlled information and counter what the governments describe as biased foreign reporting. The media launch comes amid growing restrictions on press freedom in these countries, where military-led governments have expelled several international media organizations. The creation of this platform reflects a broader trend in the Sahel of increasing government control over information and an erosion of media independence.

Sources: France24, Anadolu Agency, International IDEA

More than 300 civilians were reportedly killed in a terrorist attack carried out in northern Burkina Faso on 24 August, making it one of the deadliest in the country’s history. The Al Qaeda-linked group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), attacked villages near Barsalogho , with the military reportedly anticipating an attack and enlisting villagers to dig protective trenches. Despite initial fears of reprisals, trench-digging began as JNIM fighters launched their attack, though the group claimed responsibility while denying they targeted civilians. This attack highlights the escalating violence that has plagued Burkina Faso for years, where insurgents have intensified assaults. Nearly 2,000 people were killed in Burkina Faso in 2023 alone. There are also growing fears that Russia recently withdrawing 100 of its paramilitary officers from Burkina Faso could embolden Islamist insurgents across the country.

Sources: BBC, Al Jazeera, Le Monde, ACLED, Jeune Afrique,  Institute for Economics and Peace

In August, Burkina Faso’s military authorities conscripted at least six magistrates, including prosecutors and a judge, into the army as a punitive measure. According to Burkinabè magistrates’ union, the conscripted magistrates all had open proceedings against supporters of the ruling junta. Forced conscriptions for government security operations have been authorized under last year’s 13 April “general mobilization” plan, which grants President Ibrahim Traoré sweeping powers, including requisitioning people and goods to combat insurgency. The recent conscriptions, however, marked an escalation in the military junta’s efforts to silence dissent and undermine judicial independence. Human Rights Watch condemned this as unlawful and part of a broader pattern of repression under the junta, where state actors have increasingly targeted voices and independent institutions critical of the regime’s practices.

Sources: Reuters, Burkina24, Human Rights Watch, Jeune Afrique, France24, International IDEA