Burkina Faso

Background reviewed 2026-10-23 · Background as of 2026-10

Background

Burkina Faso has faced a jihadist insurgency since 2015, spreading from the north and east to much of the country. Armed groups linked to al-Qaeda (JNIM) and the Islamic State control or contest large rural areas and have besieged a number of towns.

Two military coups took place in 2022. The government led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré has mobilised civilian auxiliaries (VDP), left ECOWAS together with Mali and Niger, and turned towards Russia. Large-scale attacks on soldiers and civilians continued through 2024–2026.

History

Burkina Faso, called Upper Volta until 1984, became independent from France in 1960. Thomas Sankara led the country from 1983 until his killing in a 1987 coup, after which Blaise Compaoré ruled for 27 years until a popular uprising forced him out in 2014.

Jihadist violence spread from neighbouring Mali from 2015, first in the north and then in the east. Local self-defence groups and, from 2020, a state-backed civilian auxiliary force known as the Volunteers for the Defence of the Homeland (VDP) joined the fight against armed groups, raising concerns about abuses against civilians. Two military coups took place in 2022, and the country has since ended its military cooperation with France.

Main parties

Burkinabè Armed Forces and VDP — The army and the Volunteers for the Defence of the Homeland, a civilian auxiliary force.
JNIM — Al-Qaeda-affiliated group, the most active armed group in the country.
Islamic State Sahel Province — Active mainly in the north and east.

Key dates

2014-10 — President Blaise Compaoré is forced out by a popular uprising.
2016-01-15 — An attack on a hotel and café in Ouagadougou targets civilians in the capital.
2022-01-24 — The military overthrows President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré.
2022-09-30 — Captain Ibrahim Traoré takes power in a second coup.
2023-09-16 — Burkina Faso joins Mali and Niger in the Alliance of Sahel States.
2024-08-24 — An attack on civilians digging defensive trenches near Barsalogho causes mass casualties.

Humanitarian situation

Burkina Faso has one of the largest displacement crises in Africa, and many towns have lived under blockade with limited food and supplies. Thousands of schools and many health facilities have closed because of insecurity.

How to read reports about Burkina Faso

Media restrictions and suspensions of foreign outlets limit independent reporting; casualty claims are left to the linked reports.

Recent events

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