The Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda-affiliated militant group, has claimed responsibility for a deadly assault on a Burkina Faso military base in the northern town of Djibo, stating that 200 soldiers were killed in the attack
The incident, which occurred on Sunday morning, saw hundreds of armed fighters reportedly overrun the military facility, destroying it alongside a nearby police station and market, according to security sources cited by Reuters.
Initially, the death toll was estimated at 60, but on Thursday, the U.S.-based SITE Intelligence Group— which monitors jihadist activities— reported that JNIM had updated the number of military casualties to 200. The Burkinabe government has yet to officially confirm the attack or the revised toll.
SITE earlier reported that Ousmane Dicko, JNIM’s leader in Burkina Faso, appeared in a video message warning residents of Djibo to evacuate the area for their safety, indicating a planned escalation in the region.
This attack is part of a broader wave of militant violence across the Sahel, where jihadist insurgencies continue to challenge state control. Last week, JNIM also claimed responsibility for multiple assaults during Burkinabe junta leader Ibrahim Traoré’s diplomatic visit to Russia, where he met with President Vladimir Putin.
In a related development, the government of Benin Republic announced that 54 of its soldiers were killed in an April 24 attack linked to JNIM. Meanwhile, in Nigeria’s Borno State, Boko Haram fighters reportedly killed at least five soldiers during separate strikes on military outposts.
The escalating violence underscores the growing threat posed by extremist groups across West Africa, amid weakened state institutions and persistent instability.
