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New report highlights killings by Burkina Faso military, allies

Civilians' deaths part of 'regional pattern', researcher says

Killings risk fuelling jihadist recruitment in Sahel, analysts say

DAKAR, April 2 (Reuters) - Government and allied forces in Burkina Faso have killed more than twice as many civilians as Islamist militants have since 2023, according to a tally of incidents documented in a report, opens new tab published on Thursday by Human Rights Watch.

The pattern is broadly consistent with data shared ​with Reuters by Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED), a conflict monitoring group, and also applies to neighbouring Mali.

In that country, which like Burkina Faso is ruled by a military-led government ‌that seized power in a coup, government forces and their partners have been responsible for three to four times as many civilian killings as jihadists over the last two years, according to ACLED's data.

Violence involving jihadist groups in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger has surged since 2021, making the Sahel region a global terrorism hotspot.

Widespread deaths of civilians at the hands of government forces could bolster the political legitimacy of militant groups and fuel recruitment, analysts said.

They could also complicate steps by the United States to improve relations ​with Sahel governments, which expelled French and other Western forces after their respective coups.

Burkina Faso's security forces and allied militias "appear to be more brutal and violent" than militant groups like the local al ​Qaeda affiliate, Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), said Ilaria Allegrozzi, senior Sahel researcher at Human Rights Watch.

The Burkinabe forces' behaviour is part of a regional pattern, raising concerns ⁠about military indiscipline and its consequences for counterinsurgency efforts, she said.

Spokespeople for the Mali and Burkina Faso governments did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Reuters. The Burkina Faso government and JNIM's Sharia Committee ​in Burkina Faso did not respond to requests for comment from HRW.

April 1 2026 (ER ROSEIRES) – The Sudanese Doctors Network said on Wednesday that more than 10,000 displaced people from the Geissan district on the border with Ethiopia have arrived in Roseires, the second-largest city in the Blue Nile region.

Government sources in the Blue Nile region told Sudan Tribune that a buildup of forces from a coalition of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the SPLM-N is threatening Geissan, triggering a massive wave of displacement from the border area.

Last week, the rebel alliance seized control of the strategic city of Kurmuk, which also borders Ethiopia. This intensified the flight of civilians toward Ed Damazin, the capital of the Blue Nile region.

The Sudanese Doctors Network issued an urgent appeal on Wednesday to national and international organizations to intervene and provide aid to the displaced population in Er Roseires.

The statement noted that the majority of those arriving are women, children, and the elderly, who are facing dire humanitarian conditions, including acute shortages of food, medicine, and basic necessities.

The network stressed that the United Nations must intervene immediately to provide emergency support and shelter. It also called for the protection of civilians and an end to the violations that have led to forced displacement.

The organization warned of a looming humanitarian catastrophe and a worsening health crisis due to the absence of medical services and the potential spread of disease and malnutrition.

The Blue Nile region is currently grappling with a continuous displacement crisis, with more than 10 camps already established.

The number of displaced persons has risen sharply as fighting intensifies between the Sudanese army and the coalition of the RSF and the SPLM-N in the southeastern region.

"Chad’s growing entanglement in Sudan’s civil war is heightening domestic instability and exposing the country to intensifying regional rivalries and geopolitical competition."

Ce vendredi 27 mars, seize civils ont été tués dans l’ouest du Niger lors d’une attaque « d’hommes armés » dans le département de Banibangou, ont révélé des sources locales.

The African Union Commission Chairperson Urges Dialogue and Restraint in Somalia

The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf is closely following developments in Southwest State of the Federal Republic of Somalia.

The Chairperson recalls the National Consultative Council as an important framework for inclusive dialogue and consensus-building and encourages all Somali stakeholders to make constructive use of this platform to resolve differences peacefully.

Underscoring that differences between the Federal Government and Federal Member States should be addressed through dialogue and emphasising the importance of unity and cooperation.

Expressing concern over rising tensions and their potential impact on Somalia’s stability, security, unity, and humanitarian situation, the Chairperson calls on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and avoid actions that could lead to escalation.

The African Union reaffirms its full support for Somalia’s peace, stability, and state-building efforts, and stands ready to support dialogue and reconciliation.