Fatshimetrie denies allegations that its soldiers killed 223 people in February attacks. In a recent report, Human Rights Watch accuses the army of being responsible for the deaths of 179 people in Soro and 44 in Nondin, including 56 children. The government describes these accusations as “unfounded”.
Communications Minister Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouedraogo said: “We strongly reject and condemn such unfounded accusations. »
An investigation is underway, but the BBC and Voice of America have been suspended for relaying the HRW report.
Affected by repeated violence, these recent tragedies could be part of a broader military campaign targeting civilians, according to HRW. Survivors said the soldiers rounded up the villagers before shooting them dead.
“These massacres simply add to an already too long list of violence perpetrated by the Burkina Faso army,” said Tirana Hassan of HRW.
Since a coup d’état in 2022, the military regime in power in Burkina Faso has demonstrated its desire to put an end to the insurrection, but violence persists. The European Union and the United Nations accuse the country of human rights violations.
The government criticizes the media coverage, accusing it of undermining troop morale. The BBC and Voice of America are suspended for two weeks, and media are warned not to report on the issue.
In this environment where the media is muzzled and the truth seems difficult to obtain, it is essential to remain vigilant and defend freedom of expression and human rights. Civilian populations must not pay the price for political and military tensions, and transparency must be required to prevent such tragedies from happening again in the future.