Approximately 50 soldiers have been killed following a violent assault on a military base in northern Burkina Faso, according to a local community leader and a resident who spoke to The Associated Press under condition of anonymity due to concerns over potential retaliation.
The attack took place on Monday, July 28, 2025, at a base located in Dargo, within Boulsa province in the northern part of the country. The Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda-linked militant group active across West Africa, is suspected of orchestrating the assault.
According to the sources, around 100 heavily armed militants stormed the base, killing scores of soldiers before looting and setting the facility ablaze. The military government has not yet issued an official statement regarding the incident.
JNIM has been implicated in numerous attacks throughout the region and is responsible for hundreds of civilian and military casualties in recent years. The security situation in Burkina Faso continues to deteriorate, with vast areas outside the capital now under the control of insurgent groups.
These worsening conditions have destabilized the country’s political landscape, contributing to a series of military coups in recent years. Despite pledges to restore order, the ruling military junta, led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré, has struggled to contain the spread of Islamist violence even as it seeks to recalibrate its military and diplomatic alliances.
(AP)
