Deadly Assault: West African Al Qaeda Affiliate Escalates Warfare in Burkina Faso

A West African al Qaeda affiliate, Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), claimed responsibility for killing 200 soldiers at a military base in Burkina Faso, escalating the death toll from an earlier claim of 60 soldiers killed. This was reported by SITE Intelligence Group on Thursday.

The base in Djibo was overwhelmed by JNIM fighters on Sunday, who targeted a police station and market as well. Satellite images reveal significant destruction, corroborating accounts of civilian casualties from residents. Meanwhile, JNIM has blocked road access to the attacked base.

As the Burkina Faso government has yet to issue a statement, analysts note an increase in attacks by JNIM. This comes as President Ibrahim Traore was in Russia for talks with Vladimir Putin. The ongoing conflict sees extremist groups capturing military assets to bolster their efforts, per Conflict Armament Research.

(With inputs from agencies.)