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First Post
17-05-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Al Qaeda affiliate claims killing 200 soldiers in Burkina Faso base attack
Satellite footage from the day of the attack shows burn marks and smoke over the military base, burn marks on a nearby prison and plumes of smoke above a hospital and market read more Militants gather in Djibo, Burkina Faso, where a military base was attacked, in this still image obtained from social media video released May 12, 2025. Reuters A West African al Qaeda affiliate said it killed 200 soldiers in an attack on an army base in Burkina Faso this week, according to a group that tracks the online activity of Islamist militants. Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) made the latest declaration via a formal statement, U.S.-based SITE Intelligence Group said on Thursday, a day after it said JNIM had claimed to have killed 60 soldiers in a different attack in the northern Loroum province. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Reuters could not immediately verify the statements. Burkina Faso's government did not respond to a request for comment. The base in the northern town of Djibo came under attack on Sunday morning, with hundreds of fighters overrunning and destroying it, security sources told Reuters at the time. A police station and market were also targeted, they said. Satellite footage from the day of the attack shared with Reuters shows burn marks and smoke over the military base, burn marks on a nearby prison and plumes of smoke above a hospital and market. Although there was no official toll or government statement on the attack, three Djibo residents told Reuters that dozens of soldiers and civilians were killed. JNIM has since blocked road access to the Djibo base. SITE previously said Ousmane Dicko, head of JNIM in Burkina Faso, had appeared in a video urging residents of Djibo to leave the town for their own safety. Analysts say JNIM has been ramping up attacks in Burkina Faso, where a military junta that seized power in 2022 promising security has increasingly struggled to turn the tide against Islamist insurgents. JNIM claimed multiple attacks in Burkina Faso on May 11 alone as junta leader Ibrahim Traore was visiting Russia, where he met with President Vladimir Putin. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Conflict Armament Research, a group that tracks illicit arms flows, told Reuters that Islamist groups in West Africa's Sahel region have been targeting military positions to reinforce their arsenals. 'The strategy Salafi jihadist groups have implemented in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger of diverting weapons from state custody to strengthen their military and propaganda objectives, continues to prove highly effective,' the group said.
Japan Today
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Japan Today
Al-Qaida affiliate says 200 soldiers killed in Burkina Faso attack
A West African al-Qaida affiliate said it killed 200 soldiers in an attack on an army base in Burkina Faso this week, sharply increasing its earlier death toll claim, according to a group that tracks the online activity of Islamist militants. Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) made the latest declaration via a formal statement, U.S.-based SITE Intelligence Group said on Thursday, a day after it said JNIM had claimed to have killed 60 soldiers. Reuters could not immediately verify the statements. Burkina Faso's government did not respond to a request for comment. The base in the northern town of Djibo came under attack on Sunday morning, with hundreds of fighters overrunning and destroying it, security sources told Reuters at the time. A police station and market were also targeted, they said. Satellite footage from the day of the attack shared with Reuters shows burn marks and smoke over the military base, burn marks on a nearby prison and plumes of smoke above a hospital and market. Although there was no official toll or government statement on the attack, three Djibo residents told Reuters that dozens of soldiers and civilians were killed. JNIM has since blocked road access to the Djibo base. SITE previously said Ousmane Dicko, head of JNIM in Burkina Faso, had appeared in a video urging residents of Djibo to leave the town for their own safety. Analysts say JNIM has been ramping up attacks in Burkina Faso, where a military junta that seized power in 2022 promising security has increasingly struggled to turn the tide against Islamist insurgents. JNIM claimed multiple attacks in Burkina Faso on May 11 alone as junta leader Ibrahim Traore was visiting Russia, where he met with President Vladimir Putin. Conflict Armament Research, a group that tracks illicit arms flows, told Reuters that Islamist groups in West Africa's Sahel region have been targeting military positions to reinforce their arsenals. "The strategy Salafi jihadist groups have implemented in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger of diverting weapons from state custody to strengthen their military and propaganda objectives, continues to prove highly effective," the group said. © Thomson Reuters 2025.
Al Jazeera
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Al-Qaeda affiliate claims 200 soldiers killed in Burkina Faso attack
An al-Qaeda affiliate has claimed it killed 200 soldiers in an attack on a Burkina Faso army base this week, according to an NGO that tracks armed groups' online activity. The base in the northern town of Djibo came under attack on Sunday morning, and a police station and market were also targeted, security sources told the news agency Reuters. Although there was no official toll, three Djibo residents told Reuters that dozens of soldiers and civilians were killed. Al Jazeera was not able to independently verify the death toll. A Burkina Faso military source told Al Jazeera that the armed group was exaggerating the number of casualties. The United States-based SITE Intelligence Group, which tracks online activity of armed groups, said Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) made the claim in a formal statement. 'The operation comes amid increased JNIM activity in Burkina Faso over the past month inflicting a high number of casualties,' SITE said. The organisation previously said Ousmane Dicko, head of JNIM in Burkina Faso, had appeared in a video urging residents of Djibo to leave the town for their own safety. Reporting from Dakar, Senegal, Al Jazeera's Nicolas Haque said the attack took place over a number of days. 'One of the major military outposts that was supposed to protect this town of about 200,000 people was razed to the ground, such was the firepower of the armed groups,' said Al Jazeera's Nicolas Haque, reporting from Senegal, Dakar. 'This is one of the deadliest attacks in Burkina Faso, and it comes just as Ibrahim Traore [Burkina Faso's military leader] has been saying that the country has been gaining territory, encouraging people to go back to their homes, but this latest attack proves the opposite,' said Haque. A video circulating on social media from the al-Qaeda affiliate warned people to leave their homes and said it would seize more territories. 'What we're seeing here is the pivot point where these armed groups that normally attack villages are now trying to take over towns. It's a major blow for Burkina Faso's armed forces,' Haque said, noting the attacks come just as Traore was visiting Russia, asking President Vladimir Putin for more training and arms to fight off armed groups. JNIM claimed responsibility for another assault this week targeting a military post in Burkina Faso's northern Loroum province in which the group said 60 soldiers were killed, according to SITE. The attacks highlight the difficulties the three Sahel nations of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, ruled by military leaders, are facing in containing the armed groups. Burkina Faso authorities have not commented on the latest attacks. A notable attack occurred in the Burkina town of Sole, where JNIM fighters raided the army military post and killed soldiers, SITE Intelligence said, without specifying on which day it took place. A Military government took power in Burkina Faso in 2022, but they have largely failed to provide stability, as more than 60 percent of the country is estimated to be outside government control.
Asharq Al-Awsat
15-05-2025
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Al Qaeda Affiliate: 200 Soldiers Killed in Attack on Burkina Military Base
An attack on a Burkina Faso army base killed 200 soldiers, the SITE Intelligence Group quoted Al Qaeda affiliate JNIM as saying on Thursday. The base in the northern town of Djibo came under attack on Sunday morning, and a police station and market were also targeted, security sources told Reuters. Although there was no official toll, three Djibo residents told Reuters dozens of soldiers and civilians were killed. US-based SITE, which tracks online activity of militants, said JNIM made the claim in a formal statement. "The operation comes amid increased JNIM activity in Burkina Faso over the past month inflicting a high number of casualties," SITE said. The organization previously said Ousmane Dicko, head of JNIM in Burkina, had appeared in a video urging residents of Djibo to leave the town for their own safety.
Straits Times
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Al Qaeda affiliate says 200 soldiers killed in Burkina Faso attack
DAKAR - A West African al Qaeda affiliate said it killed 200 soldiers in an attack on an army base in Burkina Faso this week, sharply increasing its earlier death toll claim, according to a group that tracks the online activity of Islamist militants. Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) made the latest declaration via a formal statement, U.S.-based SITE Intelligence Group said on Thursday, a day after it said JNIM had claimed to have killed 60 soldiers. Reuters could not immediately verify the statements. Burkina Faso's government did not respond to a request for comment. The base in the northern town of Djibo came under attack on Sunday morning, with hundreds of fighters overrunning and destroying it, security sources told Reuters at the time. A police station and market were also targeted, they said. Satellite footage from the day of the attack shared with Reuters shows burn marks and smoke over the military base, burn marks on a nearby prison and plumes of smoke above a hospital and market. Although there was no official toll or government statement on the attack, three Djibo residents told Reuters that dozens of soldiers and civilians were killed. JNIM has since blocked road access to the Djibo base. SITE previously said Ousmane Dicko, head of JNIM in Burkina Faso, had appeared in a video urging residents of Djibo to leave the town for their own safety. Analysts say JNIM has been ramping up attacks in Burkina Faso, where a military junta that seized power in 2022 promising security has increasingly struggled to turn the tide against Islamist insurgents. JNIM claimed multiple attacks in Burkina Faso on May 11 alone as junta leader Ibrahim Traore was visiting Russia, where he met with President Vladimir Putin. Conflict Armament Research, a group that tracks illicit arms flows, told Reuters that Islamist groups in West Africa's Sahel region have been targeting military positions to reinforce their arsenals. "The strategy Salafi jihadist groups have implemented in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger of diverting weapons from state custody to strengthen their military and propaganda objectives, continues to prove highly effective," the group said. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
