AFRICA/BURKINA FASO - The JNIM group intensifies attacks in several towns in the Country

Ouagadougou (Agenzia Fides) - The Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), a Sahelian jihadist group linked to al-Qaeda, has intensified its attacks against military and civilian targets in Burkina Faso. The jihadist offensive began on May 11 with an assault on the Djibo military camp in the province of Soum, in the north of the country. According to local reports, the jihadists managed to take control of the camp and looted the facilities. The attacks have also affected towns in the north-central, east-central, and southern regions of the country. In videos posted on its media channels, JNIM claims to have caused the deaths of around sixty regular soldiers and a dozen paramilitaries of the Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland (VDP). Local sources also report the deaths of around 20 civilians and several structures such as homes and health centers have been destroyed. In Diapaga, in northeastern Burkina Faso, jihadists took over the military camp, killed dozens of soldiers, seized the arsenal, and freed prisoners from the local jail. Images released by the group show fighters dressed in military uniforms, some of whom wear Malian army insignia. JNIM openly opposes the governments of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), made up of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. Although local authorities have not confirmed these events, the so-called Patriotic Pact of Burkinabe Media (PPMB), promoted by the High Council of Communication (CSC), was apparently signed on May 14 in the capital, Ouagadougou. The objective of the pact is to "support defense efforts through coherent communication, promote the actions of the Defense and Security Forces, strengthen civic education, and preserve social cohesion." The Council of Ministers also announced the creation of a military college to "train a strategic elite, adapted to national and regional security challenges." Finally, unverified reports are circulating on social media about the presence in the country of some 700 North Korean special forces, allegedly sent to support the Burkinabe government. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 15/5/2025)

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