Burkina Faso has dismissed claims of soldiers committing mass killings as “baseless accusations,” following a report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) alleging the army’s involvement in attacks that resulted in the deaths of 223 people in February.
The report detailed incidents where the military allegedly killed 179 individuals in Soro village and 44 others in Nondin, including at least 56 children.
Communications minister Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouedraogo stated that the government strongly rejects and condemns these accusations and has initiated a legal inquiry to ascertain the facts.
The minister expressed surprise at HRW’s conclusions before the inquiry had completed its investigation.
Earlier, Burkina Faso suspended the BBC and Voice of America over their coverage of the HRW report.
HRW described the alleged killings as part of a broader military campaign against civilians accused of collaborating with Islamist groups, possibly constituting crimes against humanity.
Witness accounts described military convoys descending on villages and systematically shooting residents, allegedly in retaliation for failing to cooperate with the military against Islamist fighters.
The violence occurred following an attack by Islamist groups on a military camp in the northern Yatenga province.
HRW’s executive director, Tirana Hassan, condemned the killings as part of a pattern of civilian massacres by the Burkina Faso military in counterinsurgency operations.
The country, ruled by a military junta since a coup in 2022, faces ongoing insurgency despite promises to end the conflict.
Burkina Faso has faced criticism from international bodies for human rights violations in its fight against insurgency, including indiscriminate killings and forced disappearances.
The authorities have accused the media of orchestrating a campaign to discredit the armed forces, leading to the suspension of BBC and Voice of America broadcasts and threats against media outlets reporting on the HRW findings.
Source-BBC
