In a statement released on Sunday, the European Union has called for a thorough investigation into the recent massacre of nearly 100 civilians, including women and children, in the village of Zaongo in Burkina Faso’s Center-North region.
The EU is pressing the transitional authorities to unveil the circumstances surrounding the killings and identify those responsible.
The assailants remain unidentified, and Burkina Faso’s government has not responded to requests for comment.
Burkina Faso has been grappling with a persistent jihadi insurgency linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, resulting in thousands of casualties and over 2 million internally displaced people.
The nation has experienced two coups, with the current junta, led by Capt. Ibrahim Traore, seizing power in September 2022. However, rights groups accuse the junta of committing abuses against civilians and curtailing civil liberties under the pretext of securing the country.
Earlier this month, the junta enacted an emergency law targeting perceived dissidents, as reported by Human Rights Watch. The law includes conscripting journalists, civil society activists, and opposition members for government security operations across the country.
In the government’s efforts to combat the jihadi threat, tens of thousands of volunteer fighters have been enlisted.
However, civilians express fear, claiming that these volunteers indiscriminately target individuals suspected of collaborating with the jihadis. Many communities assert being more afraid of the volunteers than the extremist groups.
Expressing shock and sadness, Molly Phee, head of African affairs at the US State Department, took to X (formerly Twitter) last week, urging authorities to investigate the Zaongo killings and hold those responsible accountable.
