Burkina Faso Village Attack: At Least 12 Killed in Jihadist Raid as Shops Looted and Burned

Dourtenga, Burkina Faso by SoKr, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 | Image: Jihad Watch

A fresh wave of violence has struck Burkina Faso, where suspected jihadist fighters launched a deadly assault on a village, killing at least 12 civilians, including members of a local volunteer force supporting the military.

According to local officials and security sources, the attack took place over the weekend in the village of Dourtenga, located in the country’s central-eastern region. Armed assailants stormed the area on Sunday, targeting members of the Volunteers for the Defence of the Homeland (VDP), a civilian force aiding the army in counterinsurgency efforts. Nine VDP members, including their leader, were killed in the assault. Three other civilians also lost their lives, among them a woman.

Residents described scenes of chaos and destruction as the attackers looted shops and set several buildings ablaze. Gunfire reportedly continued for over an hour, leaving the village severely damaged and its population in fear. While calm has since returned, many villagers began fleeing the area the following day, fearing further attacks.

The incident is part of a broader surge in violence across Burkina Faso, which has been grappling with jihadist insurgency for more than a decade. The country has been under military rule since a 2022 coup, amid ongoing instability and security challenges.

Militant groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State have been responsible for a string of attacks targeting both security forces and civilian volunteers. The Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) has claimed responsibility for several recent assaults.

According to data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), more than 130 people have been killed in a span of just 10 days, underscoring the escalating security crisis in the region.

(This Article was originally published by Jihad Watch)