A new report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) has revealed a harrowing escalation of violence in Burkina Faso, documenting the killing of over 1,800 civilians since Captain Ibrahim Traoré seized power in a coup three years ago. The report asserts that these acts amount to "war crimes and crimes against humanity." Specifically, HRW identified 1,837 civilians, including dozens of children, killed in 57 documented incidents between January 2023 and August 2025. The majority of these fatalities, 1,255, are attributed to the Burkinabé military and its allied militias, with the remaining deaths blamed on Islamist militants.

The findings directly implicate high-ranking officials and jihadist leaders. HRW states that President Traoré and six senior military commanders "may be liable as a matter of command responsibility for grave abuses and should be investigated." Additionally, five jihadist leaders are identified as potentially culpable. In response to these grave allegations, Human Rights Watch is urging the International Criminal Court (ICC) to open a preliminary investigation into the alleged crimes committed by all parties involved since September 2022. The Burkinabé authorities have not yet commented on this specific report, though they have previously dismissed accusations of their forces killing civilians.

The report’s methodology relied on a thorough analysis of open-source information, including photos, videos, satellite imagery, and extensive interviews with witnesses and survivors. It concludes that "All sides are responsible for the war crimes of willful killing, attacks on civilians and civilian objects, pillage and looting, and forced displacement." Philippe Bolopion, HRW's executive director, highlighted the severe nature of the crisis, stating, "The scale of atrocities taking place in Burkina Faso is mind-boggling, as is the lack of global attention to this crisis."

One of the deadliest incidents cited in the report occurred in December 2023 in Djibo, a northern town, where the military and allied militias allegedly killed more than 400 civilians. Survivors described the killings as systematic and brutal, with one 35-year-old woman recounting a militia member saying, "Make sure no-one is breathing before heading out." Her two daughters died instantly, while she and her infant son sustained gunshot wounds. Many survivors described these massacres as "butchery" and reported enduring deep psychological trauma.

The militias allied with the military are known as the Volunteers for the Defence of the Fatherland (VDP), civilians recruited by the junta to support the army against jihadist groups. The junta has been accused of forcing critics into the VDP as a form of punishment. President Traoré has defended conscription, asserting that "individual freedoms [are] not superior to national freedom" and that "a nation is not built on indiscipline and disorder." Since the military government assumed power, it has been accused of increasingly targeting civilians in brutal campaigns, often in retaliation for attacks by al-Qaeda affiliate JNIM, the country's largest jihadist group.

Civilians find themselves in a perilous situation, feeling "caught between a rock and a hard place," facing threats and death from both JNIM and government forces. JNIM, too, has used widespread threats and violence to dominate and punish communities, targeting civilians accused of supporting the government or refusing to submit to its authority. An August 2024 incident saw JNIM attackers shoot dead at least 133 people and injure over 200 in less than two hours.

Despite the military government's stated aim to combat jihadist groups linked to al-Qaeda, who have waged an insurgency for over a decade and control vast parts of the country, violence has only intensified. Burkina Faso, mirroring its military-ruled neighbors Mali and Niger, has shifted away from partnerships with Western countries, particularly France, in favor of military assistance from Russia. While Traoré has garnered a significant following across the continent for his pan-Africanist vision and criticism of Western influence, the security situation on the ground continues to deteriorate.

The HRW report also calls on Burkina Faso's international partners and donors to impose sanctions and refrain from cooperating with the country's army. As of early 2026, the situation has grown even more complex with Burkina Faso's formal announcement of its intent to withdraw from the International Criminal Court. This decision coincides with new domestic legislation restricting civil liberties, including the criminalization of same-sex relations and the dissolution of the Independent National Electoral Commission. The humanitarian crisis has reached a breaking point, with over 4.5 million people in need of aid. While the government claims success in returning over one million displaced persons, independent monitors warn that these returns are often forced and lack essential security guarantees. A deepening strategic alliance with Russia, formalized in early 2026, continues to redefine the Sahel's security architecture, even as 30% of the country remains outside of state control. The documented surge in violence underscores a deepening crisis where the pursuit of national security is intertwined with widespread human rights violations, leaving the civilian population vulnerable to both insurgent terror and state-sanctioned aggression, and highlighting an urgent need for accountability.