2023 Namsiguia ambush
| 2023 Namsiguia ambush | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Jihadist insurgency in Burkina Faso | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin | |||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
|
34 killed 20 injured 10 missing | 40 killed (per Burkina Faso) | ||||||
On June 26, 2023, jihadists from Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin ambushed a Burkinabe convoy near Namssiguia, Bam Province, Burkina Faso. The attack and subsequent battle killed 34 Burkinabe soldiers, with Burkinabe authorities stating over 40 jihadists were killed.
Background
[edit]Violence by jihadist groups increased exponentially since the September 2022 Burkina Faso coup d'état that overthrew putschist Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, who came to power in a coup that January.[1] Much of the violence was caused by the al-Qaeda-aligned Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin and it's affiliates in Burkina Faso and the Islamic State – Sahil Province, which have besieged towns and launched deadly attacks on Burkinabe soldiers and pro-government militiamen.[2]
Namsiguia had previously been a target of jihadists, with a bombing in August 2022 killing 15 Burkinabe soldiers.[3] An attack on civilians in the town in January killed nine people.[4]
Attack
[edit]At the time of the attack, the convoy was returning from the besieged city of Djibo, which had been blockaded by jihadist groups including JNIM since 2022.[5][6] In a press release, Burkinabe authorities stated that the fighting between the two groups after the attack was violent.[5] The Burkinabe government stated that 31 soldiers and three pro-government VDP militiamen were killed, and twenty more were injured. Around ten others were reported missing as well.[7] The statement also claimed forty jihadists were killed.[8][9]
The Namsiguia convoy attack occurred the same day as jihadists stormed a VDP base in Noaka, killing over thirty VDPs.[10]
References
[edit]- ^ "Militant Islamist Group Violence Engulfs Burkina Faso" (PDF). Africa Center for Strategic Studies. August 2023. Retrieved October 17, 2024.
- ^ "The juntas dig in as instability worsens". www.africa-confidential.com. Retrieved 2024-10-17.
- ^ "Twin Blasts Kill 15 Burkina Faso Troops, Army Says". Voice of America. 2022-08-09. Retrieved 2024-10-18.
- ^ Human Rights Watch (2023-01-12), "Burkina Faso: Events of 2022", Share this via Facebook, retrieved 2024-10-18
- ^ a b "Au moins 34 militaires tués dans une attaque au Burkina Faso". Voice of America (in French). 2023-06-28. Retrieved 2024-10-18.
- ^ "Burkina Faso: Heightened security likely after June 26 armed attack on supply convoy kills at least 34 soldiers in Namsiguia, Center-North Region". Burkina Faso: Heightened security likely after June 26 armed attack on supply convoy kills at least 34 soldiers in Namsiguia, Center-North Region | Crisis24. Retrieved 2024-10-18.
- ^ "Burkina Faso: trois attaques terroristes font plus de 70 morts dans l'Ouest et le Nord". RFI (in French). 2023-06-30. Retrieved 2024-10-18.
- ^ "Crisis Watch: July Alerts and June Trends 2023". International Crisis Group. July 2023. Retrieved October 18, 2024.
- ^ "Burkina Faso : 31 militaires et 3 volontaires tués dans une attaque" (in French). 2023-06-27. Retrieved 2024-10-18.
- ^ Jalloh, Abu bakr (2023-06-29). "Some 60 Burkina troops, volunteers killed by jihadists - Report". APAnews - African Press Agency. Retrieved 2024-10-18.