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Military Juntas In the Sahel Unable to Keep the Peace

Coup plotters in Mali and Burkina Faso justified their power grabs by claiming that civilian authorities were unable to restore security.

Attacks by rebel groups, militants or others, have not decreased since the first coup in Mali on August 18, 2020. On the contrary, they increased in 2021, with 689 deadly incidents.

In addition, 550 people were killed in Mali since the beginning of 2022 in violence committed against civilians, allegedly by the armed forces. This is more than the number of people killed by rebel groups. The massacre in Moura was a major factor. The killings in this village, located between Mopti and Djenné in central Mali, took place over several days.

In Burkina Faso, the situation is also dramatic: The ruling military junta is powerless to stop militants from taking over the country. Deadly attacks have been multiplying since the January 23, 2022 coup. The most recent massacre of civilians claimed some 50 lives on May 25, 2022 in the commune of Madjoari, in eastern Burkina Faso, near the border with Benin, writes Jean-Michel Bos for Deutsche Welle.

Mali: Report Details Civilian Abuses and Deaths Quadrupled in Last Three Months of 2021 - UN

RFI, 31 May 2022

A United Nations report out on Monday noted a fourfold rise in civilian deaths and human rights abuses in late 2021 by all actors in the conflict, including jihadists, militias,… Read more »
West Africa: Insecurity in the Sahel - What You Need to Know

DW, 30 May 2022

Armies in Mali and Burkina Faso have killed more civilians than jihadi extremists. The ruling military juntas in the two countries in West Africa's Sahel region are unable to keep… Read more »
West Africa: Mali's Withdrawal From G5 Sahel, Joint Force 'A Setback' for the Region

UN News, 18 May 2022

Mali's decision on 15 May to withdraw from the G5-Sahel group and its Joint Force is "unfortunate" and "regrettable", a senior United Nations official told the Security Council on… Read more »
Ghana: Citizens Warned Against Travelling to North Eastern Mali

Ghanaian Times, 19 May 2022

The government has cautioned against all travels to Gao and its surrounding areas in North Eastern Mali in view of recent abductions and executions of travellers, especially… Read more »
Mali: Mali Soldiers On Despite Growing Isolation

DW, 20 May 2022

An alleged coup attempt in Mali sheds light on the tensions facing the interim government of Colonel Assimi Goita. Yet, despite sanctions and isolation, Malians still back the… Read more »
Mali: Germany Extends Troop Deployment in Mali

DW, 20 May 2022

Germany's parliament decided how it will engage militarily with the West African country, which witnessed another coup last year. Read more »
West Africa: Togo - Region's New Frontier of Violent Extremism?

The Conversation Africa, 21 May 2022

The threat of violent extremism across West Africa has been on the rise in recent times. Read more »
Mali: Insecurity Puts Historic Djenné Mosque At Risk

VOA, 27 May 2022

Experts say Mali's struggle against Islamist militants is putting its World Heritage sites at risk. For the first time in modern history, officials say, the annual replastering of… Read more »
Burkina Faso: Gunmen Kill 50 Civilians in Flare-Up of Violence

DW, 27 May 2022

The victims were attacked while trying to escape a blockade set up by extremists, survivors said. The area of eastern Burkina Faso has seen a recent surge in attacks. Read more »
Burkina Faso: Dozens Killed in Suspected Jihadist Attacks Across the Country

RFI, 16 May 2022

Around 40 people, many of them civilian volunteers with the army, have reportedly been killed in a series of suspected jihadist attacks in Burkina Faso over the weekend. Read more »
Burkina Faso: How Three Leaders Opened Talks With Jihadists

The New Humanitarian, 25 May 2022

'We discovered that the jihadists have some moral values.' Read more »