Armed militants aligned with jihadist groups attacked a village in central-eastern Burkina Faso on Sunday, killing at least 12 civilians, including nine members of a state-backed civilian auxiliary force, according to local and security sources.
The assault on Dourtenga targeted members of the Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland (VDP), a civilian force supporting the national army. A local official confirmed the VDP leader was among those killed, along with three other civilians, including one woman. According to a resident, the attackers looted and set fire to shops, with the exchange of gunfire lasting over an hour. While calm has since returned, many villagers fled on Monday fearing a repeat attack.
This incident is part of a series of weekend assaults across Burkina Faso. A security source noted multiple attacks targeting both military positions and VDP volunteers in various regions. The violence underscores the persistent threat from jihadist factions, including the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda affiliate. JNIM claimed responsibility for several attacks on army and volunteer forces last month. Conflict monitor ACLED data indicates that more than 130 people were killed in related incidents over approximately ten days.
Burkina Faso has been under military rule since a 2022 coup. The government has repeatedly stated it has retaken control of nearly 75% of the national territory and facilitated the return of over one million displaced persons. However, regional analysts and data from ACLED suggest the junta has not broken a decade-long conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives, with more than half of those deaths occurring in the last three years alone.
The attack in Dourtenga highlights the continued vulnerability of both civilian populations and state-aligned auxiliaries. Despite official claims of territorial recovery, jihadist groups maintain the capacity to launch lethal, coordinated strikes, contributing to ongoing displacement and humanitarian strain in the landlocked West African nation.
