Al Qaeda affiliate Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) has claimed responsibility for an attack on a military post in Burkina Faso’s northern Loroum province, asserting that 60 soldiers were killed, according to the SITE Intelligence Group.
The U.S.-based non-governmental organization, which monitors online activity of Islamist militants, reported that JNIM posted messages on Monday and Tuesday claiming responsibility for four assaults in Burkina Faso and Mali.
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These attacks underscore the difficulties faced by Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger in containing insurgents. All three Sahel nations are currently under military rule.
Burkina Faso authorities have not yet commented on the recent attacks.
The most notable attack occurred in the town of Sole, Burkina Faso, where JNIM fighters raided an army military post and killed soldiers, SITE Intelligence reported, though the specific date of the attack was not provided.
Another attack in Burkina Faso resulted in the deaths of 10 members of a pro-government militia known as VDP in eastern Gnagna province, SITE added.
In a separate statement, SITE reported that Ousmane Dicko, head of JMIN in Burkina Faso, appeared in a video urging residents of Djibo, located in northern Burkina Faso, to evacuate the town for their safety.
An army base in Djibo was attacked on Sunday morning, and a police station and market were also targeted, security sources informed Reuters.
Three Djibo residents described a significant assault involving hundreds of fighters on facilities housing soldiers and pro-government militiamen. While there was no official death toll, witnesses reported that dozens of soldiers and civilians were killed.
A teacher in Djibo told Reuters, “The population saw soldiers burnt in the flames of explosions. Multiple military arsenals were taken and civilians were killed by gunfire”.
Videos circulating on social media on Wednesday depicted unidentified insurgents on foot and motorbikes in the eastern town of Diapaga, near the borders of Niger and Mali.
One video captured gunfire and black smoke in the distance, while another showed insurgents posing for pictures and tearing down flags of junta-led countries and Russia. Reuters was unable to verify the authenticity of these videos.
Beverly Ochieng, senior analyst at Control Risks, stated, “JNIM is demonstrating that it can seize major towns with little deterrence from security forces, and it is likely to continue mounting such attacks in its strongholds”.
