Rights Group Report Links Burkina Faso Killings to War Crimes
A new Human Rights Watch report has revealed that more than 1,800 civilians have been killed since Ibrahim Traoré seized power in Burkina Faso three years ago in acts amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity. According to the report, approximately 1,837 civilians, including dozens of children, were killed in 57 incidents between January 2023 and August 2025.
Most of the killings were attributed to the military and allied militias, with the rest blamed on Islamist militants. It warned that the abuses could amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. It is alleged that Traoré and six senior commanders could bear responsibility for grave abuses and should be investigated.
Human Rights Watch said civilians were caught between armed groups and state forces, facing widespread violence, killings, and displacement. HRW urges the International Criminal Court to conduct a preliminary investigation into the alleged crimes committed by all parties since September 2022.
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Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged all parties involved in the conflict in Burkina Faso to respect international law, including the Geneva Conventions, which prohibit summary executions, attacks on civilians, and sexual violence. The appeal follows reports that militants have killed at least 38 civilians, abducted nine women, and destroyed property in three separate incidents in northeastern Burkina Faso since late January
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Capitaine Ibrahim Traoré.
