Solenzo, Burkina Faso – At least 130 civilians, mostly ethnic Fulani, were killed by Burkina Faso’s military and allied militias in March 2025 near the western town of Solenzo, according to a new report by Human Rights Watch (HRW). The report, released on May 12, 2025, describes the killings as a “massacre” carried out during a military operation led by Burkinabè special forces, resulting in widespread civilian deaths and the displacement of thousands of Fulani people.
The attacks took place in Banwa province, in the Boucle du Mouhoun region, as part of a weeks-long counterinsurgency campaign called “Operation Green Whirlwind 2.” HRW says the operation targeted Fulani communities, whom the government has long accused of supporting Islamist militants, an allegation Fulani leaders deny. Witnesses reported that Burkina Faso’s special forces, alongside pro-government militias known as Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland (VDPs), attacked villages, killing women, children, and elderly people.
“They shot at us like animals,” a 44-year-old Fulani herder from Solenzo told HRW. “Drones were flying over our heads. Many women and children died because they could not run.” Another witness, a 50-year-old woman, said she heard militia members shouting in the Djoula language, “Nobody will escape! Look for the Fulani everywhere. We are going to kill all Fulani.”
HRW’s findings are based on interviews with dozens of witnesses, militia members, journalists, and civil society groups, as well as analysis of 11 videos shared on social media. The videos, which began circulating on March 11, show armed men in militia uniforms standing among dozens of dead bodies, including men, women, and children, some with their hands and feet bound. In one video, a toddler lies critically injured next to a dead woman. The militias involved were identified as the Mahouna Self-Defense Group and the Kouka Rapid Force, both operating in Banwa province.
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The report states that military helicopters and drones were present during the attacks, suggesting direct command by the Burkinabè military. The operation, which ran from late February to early April, forced thousands of Fulani families to flee to neighboring Mali. “Today, in the whole province, there are no more Fulani—they all fled, were killed, or taken hostage,” a 53-year-old man from Solenzo said.
The massacre triggered retaliatory attacks by the Al Qaeda-affiliated Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM). In April, JNIM fighters attacked villages in Sourou province, north of Solenzo, targeting people they believed had helped the military. HRW reports that at least 100 civilians were killed in these reprisal attacks. A 60-year-old woman from Tiao village said she saw JNIM fighters execute up to 70 men in front of a health center.
Ilaria Allegrozzi, HRW’s senior Sahel researcher, called the Solenzo killings “war crimes” and urged Burkina Faso’s government to investigate and prosecute those responsible. “The viral videos of the atrocities near Solenzo sent shock waves through Africa’s Sahel region, but they told only part of the story,” she said. “Further research uncovered that Burkina Faso’s military was responsible for these mass killings of Fulani civilians.”
The Burkina Faso government has not commented on the latest HRW report. In March, officials denied involvement, calling the videos “disinformation” aimed at undermining social cohesion. A government spokesperson claimed security forces fought off a “terrorist” attack on March 10, killed about 100 assailants, and rescued women, children, and elderly people used as human shields.
Burkina Faso, a landlocked nation of 23 million, has faced growing violence from Islamist groups linked to Al Qaeda and the Islamic State. About 40% of the country is controlled by these groups, and over 2.3 million people have been displaced. The military junta, led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré since a 2022 coup, has prioritized fighting insurgents but has been criticized for human rights abuses. HRW and other groups say the junta’s strategy of arming poorly trained militias has worsened ethnic tensions, particularly against the Fulani.
The Solenzo massacre has drawn international attention. On March 18, Adama Dieng, the African Union Special Envoy on the Prevention of Genocide, called the killings “reprehensible” and urged national and international investigations. On March 20, a prosecutor in Ouagadougou announced an investigation into ethnic-based discrimination linked to the attacks.
HRW is calling on the United Nations and the African Union to prioritize Burkina Faso’s crisis and protect civilians. “The scope of the atrocities by government forces, militias, and Islamist groups remains grossly overlooked,” Allegrozzi said. For now, survivors like the Fulani herder who lost eight family members are left seeking safety and justice in a region torn by violence.
Sources: Human Rights Watch, BBC News, Al Jazeera, Euronews