Burkina Faso Military Kills Over 130 Civilians in March Massacre, HRW Reports

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has reported that Burkina Faso's military and allied pro-government militias were responsible for a massacre in March near Solenzo, killing at least 130 Fulani civilians. This Fulani ethnic group, often accused by the government of supporting Islamist militants, denies such allegations. The report is based on witness testimonies and analysis of videos shared online, revealing widespread civilian deaths and displacement. Following the massacre, the al-Qaeda-linked Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) retaliated with attacks killing at least 100 more civilians perceived as collaborating with the military. Despite Burkina Faso's military promises to address the Islamist insurgency, militant attacks continue, leaving much of the country under jihadist control and causing thousands of deaths and millions displaced. HRW has called on the government to impartially investigate and prosecute those responsible for these war crimes amid Burkina Faso's pivot from France to Russia for security cooperation in the Sahel.