Human Rights Watch warns of ethnic violence in Burkina Faso

Human Rights Watch has warned of ‘grave atrocities’ in Burkina Faso, where the conflict is increasingly turning against civilians, according to Vatican News.

In a recent report, the organisation said that the army, alongside pro-government militias and Islamist fighters, has been responsible for the deaths of more than 1,800 people and the displacement of tens of thousands since 2023.

Particularly serious are allegations that government forces are targeting members of the Fulani ethnic group, actions that, according to available evidence, may amount to ethnic cleansing. Human Rights Watch has also documented dozens of specific cases of violence since the military junta came to power.

At the same time, Islamist groups have continued to attack civilians, loot property and further destabilise the country.

The organisation also criticised the government for failing to hold perpetrators accountable and for restricting information about the scale of civilian suffering.

(pir)