Burkina Faso’s government has strongly rejected a report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) alleging that more than 1,800 civilians have been killed in acts amounting to crimes against humanity since Captain Ibrahim Traoré came to power.
In a statement issued Sunday, authorities dismissed the findings as “false” and based on “serious, unfounded claims,” accusing the rights group of attempting to discredit the country’s armed forces. The government insisted that its troops have consistently operated with professionalism and integrity.
HRW’s report documents the killing of at least 1,837 civilians in 57 incidents between January 2023 and August 2025, including dozens of children. According to the organisation, 1,255 of those deaths are attributed to government forces and allied militias, while Islamist armed groups were blamed for the remainder.
The report further suggests that President Traoré and six senior military officials could bear command responsibility for alleged abuses, and calls for investigations. It also identifies five jihadist leaders as potentially culpable.
Burkina Faso’s military leadership has repeatedly denied accusations of targeting civilians, maintaining that its operations are focused on combating jihadist groups linked to al-Qaeda, which have waged a decade-long insurgency across the country and the wider Sahel region.
HRW said its findings are based on open-source analysis, including satellite imagery, photographs, videos, and interviews with witnesses and survivors. The organisation accuses all parties to the conflict of committing war crimes, including deliberate killings, attacks on civilians, looting, and forced displacement.
It also alleges that authorities have failed to hold perpetrators accountable and have restricted independent reporting, effectively concealing the scale of civilian suffering.
“The scale of atrocities taking place in Burkina Faso is staggering, as is the limited global attention to this crisis,” said HRW Executive Director Philippe Bolopion.
Among the incidents cited is a December 2023 attack in the northern town of Djibo, where HRW claims more than 400 civilians were killed by government forces and allied militias. A survivor recounted how her two daughters were killed instantly, while she and her infant son were injured in the attack.
The government has not directly addressed specific incidents detailed in the report but continues to reject its overall conclusions.
