An Islamist armed group in Burkina Faso has killed 38 civilians and abducted 9 women amid a series of violent incidents since January 2026, according to Human Rights Watch.
A report by Human Rights Watch reveals shocking atrocities committed by the Islamist armed group Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wa al-Muslimeen (JNIM) in northeastern Burkina Faso, where at least 38 civilians have been killed, and 9 women abducted since late January 2026. The violence includes kidnappings, executions, and property destruction, with the incidents qualifying as war crimes under international law. The attacks highlight the deteriorating security situation in the region, which has been plagued by jihadist violence for several years.
The first incident occurred on January 29, 2026, when JNIM fighters abducted nine women near Sollé village, subjecting them to threats of rape and murder before releasing them the following day. The group then ramped up its assault, with a particularly heinous attack on February 14, during which they executed 34 civilians and set fire to properties while attacking a military base in the city of Titao. This series of violent confrontations further underscores the threat JNIM poses to civilians and the military in Burkina Faso's North region.
In addition to these attacks, on February 22, JNIM fighters murdered four shopkeepers and incinerated their shops after assaulting a gendarmerie post in Manni town, located in the East region. The repeated and brutal violence by JNIM demonstrates a blatant disregard for human rights and the lives of ordinary civilians in Burkina Faso, prompting urgent calls for international intervention and accountability for war crimes perpetrated by the group.
