Burkina Faso’s military government has rejected accusations that its forces were responsible for attacking civilians in the west of the country earlier this week. In a statement issued on Saturday, government spokesperson Pingdwende Gilbert Ouedraogo condemned the spread of hateful content and false information on social media, which he argued was designed to undermine the country’s social cohesion and peaceful coexistence.
The controversy began earlier in the week when videos surfaced online showing numerous bloodied bodies on the ground, most of which appeared to be women, children, and the elderly, with their hands and feet bound. The footage caused widespread concern and outrage, with a local source claiming that several Fulani families had been killed by soldiers and civilian militias in the Solenzo region between March 10 and 11.
The Fulani community in the Sahel is often unfairly targeted and accused of supporting or collaborating with insurgent groups. In response to the videos, Human Rights Watch urged Burkina Faso’s military rulers, who came to power in September 2022, to investigate the deaths, estimating that at least 58 people had died, although the toll could be higher.
However, the government has firmly denied the allegations, stating that insurgents had attacked a local militia in the area, resulting in a gunfight that led to the deaths of around 100 “terrorists.” The spokesman further claimed that militia members later discovered civilians, allegedly used as human shields by insurgents, and safely relocated them.
Ouedraogo denounced what he referred to as a disinformation campaign designed to discredit the military and sow fear among the public. Burkina Faso has been struggling with insurgencies since 2015, which has led to more than 26,000 deaths, half of them occurring after the military coup in 2022, according to conflict monitoring group Acled.
