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A new report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) has concluded that government forces in Burkina Faso are responsible for more than twice as many civilian deaths as militant jihadist groups over a two-year period. The 316-page report, which draws on 450 interviews and verified social media and satellite imagery, alleges that government forces and allied militias have committed abuses that amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, including the targeting of the Fulani ethnic group.
According to the report, between January 2023 and August 2025, at least 1,837 civilians were killed in some 57 incidents of violence. Of these, 33 were attributed to government forces, while militant groups were blamed for a smaller share. The report's findings were covered by multiple outlets, including AllAfrica and Deutsche Welle, both of which highlighted the government forces' outsized role in civilian casualties.
Coverage Comparison
The two sources that provided extracts for this article—AllAfrica and Deutsche Welle—both emphasized the same core findings from the HRW report. Both reported that government forces were responsible for more than twice as many civilian deaths as jihadist groups, and both noted the specific targeting of the Fulani community. The reporting was largely similar in tone, though Deutsche Welle used slightly more forceful language in its framing, describing the abuses as "brutal" and "violent," while AllAfrica maintained a more neutral stance.
Neither source dissented from HRW's methodology or conclusions. Both quoted HRW's senior Sahel researcher, Ilaria Allegrozzi, who said that Burkina Faso's security forces and allied militias "appear to be more brutal and violent" than militant groups such as Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), the local al-Qaeda affiliate.
Key Claims
The central claim of the HRW report is that government forces are responsible for over twice as many civilian deaths as militant jihadist groups during the period under review. The report specifically alleges that the Fulani ethnic group has been targeted by government forces, with actions that HRW says amount to "ethnic cleansing." The report also states that over 2.1 million people have been displaced from their homes and that nearly 6.5 million people require humanitarian aid to survive.
Additionally, HRW asserts that a military junta, which took power in 2022, has failed to stabilize the country, with more than 60% of the territory currently outside government control. The report also notes that the government has previously denied allegations of extrajudicial killings, maintaining that its forces have only killed "terrorists."
Perspectives
Human Rights Watch's perspective is clear: it sees the actions of Burkina Faso's government forces as a primary driver of violence and instability in the region. The organization warns that such violence could bolster militant groups and complicate relations with Western governments, especially given Burkina Faso's expulsion of French troops and its closer ties with Russia since the 2022 coup.
The government of Burkina Faso, as previously reported, has rejected such allegations, insisting that its military operations target only militants. However, the HRW report suggests that this denial is contradicted by evidence of abuses against Fulani civilians, who number about 1.8 million—roughly 8.5% of the population.
HRW also points to systemic issues, including a system of censorship that it says makes it difficult to obtain an accurate picture of the situation. The report adds that speaking out against government forces could lead to abduction, imprisonment, or forced conscription into the army.
Context and Corroboration
The HRW report is part of a broader pattern across the Sahel region. In Mali, HRW reports a similar dynamic, with government forces killing more civilians than militant groups. The findings come against a backdrop of long-standing conflicts between farmers and herders in the region, which have periodically erupted into violence.
The report's methodology—based on extensive interviews and verified imagery—lends credibility to its findings, though the government's denial and censorship make independent verification challenging. The report has been carried by multiple international outlets, but its conclusions have not been independently confirmed by third-party organizations.