Al-Qaeda-linked JNIM killed at least 27 civilians in two September attacks in Burkina Faso's Yatenga province, including 24 at a gold mining site, Human Rights Watch says

L2Who’s affected

Who is affected: HRW says "over 60 JNIM fighters riding motorbikes stormed an artisanal gold mining site about 1.5 kilometers northwest of Soubo village." Residents told HRW "about a thousand people—mostly artisanal miners, but also shopkeepers, owners of small restaurants, and children—were at the site at the time of the attack." "Human Rights Watch reviewed a list provided by residents with the names of 24 victims, all civilians, including three women". Near Mera, HRW says the blast "killed the 40-year-old driver and his two passengers, a 65-year-old woman and a 5-year-old boy."

L3Why it’s quiet

Why it is quiet: Our headline search of 13 major U.S. outlets found none with this story as of our publish date; see the O-Score proof page. HRW says that "In September and October, Human Rights Watch remotely interviewed 15 people, including 4 witnesses to the Soubo attack and 3 to the Mera attack" and "verified and geolocated four videos posted online showing the aftermath of the Soubo attack".

L4Deeper impact

Deeper impact: HRW: "Mining sites are lucrative revenue sources for JNIM in Burkina Faso." HRW says victim-activated IEDs "are banned under the Mine Ban Treaty, which Burkina Faso ratified in 1998." HRW cites ACLED, which "reported that JNIM carried out 125 attacks across Burkina Faso from January to August, resulting in the killing of 188 civilians". "The JNIM armed group's relentless, unlawful attacks put civilians across Burkina Faso at grave risk," said Ilaria Allegrozzi, senior Sahel researcher at HRW.

L5Full context

Full context: HRW says JNIM's Sharia Committee, in a September 30 response, "acknowledged that JNIM forces attacked Soubo, but stated that the victims were members of the government-allied militias, known as Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland" and "not civilians." HRW says "witnesses told Human Rights Watch that soldiers and VDPs were neither present during the attack nor stationed at the site, although they occasionally patrolled the surrounding area." HRW adds that "Burkina Faso's armed forces and VDPs have also committed serious abuses against civilians, especially Fulani". Source: Human Rights Watch. Single source.

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