Islamist insurgency in Burkina Faso

Quick Facts: Who was Islamist insurgency in Burkina Faso?

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Islamist insurgency in Burkina Faso

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Ongoing Islamist insurgency in Burkina Faso, affecting the Sahel region since 2015.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Since August 2015, an insurgency has been fought between the government of Burkina Faso and Islamist militant groups, including Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), Ansarul Islam and the Islamic State – Sahel Province (IS–SP). It is estimated that 30% of the country is controlled by jihadist forces. The insurgency originated in the northern area of Burkina Faso amid the broader Mali war, and has grown to affect most of the country. The conflict intensified after 2016, when Ansarul Islam carried out large scaled attacks in northern Burkina Faso, causing violence to spread into the eastern and central regions. Islamic groups have targeted military bases, civilians, schools, religious leaders and local officials, while government forces and allied militias have been accused of extrajudicial killings and ethnic reprisals, particularly against Fulani communities.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

The insurgency has contributed to intercommunal violence and ongoing humanitarian crisis. This led to two military coups in 2022 that brought Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba and later Captain Ibrahim Traoré to power. From that time onwards, Burkina Faso kept distance from France and other western countries, strengthening security cooperation with Mali, Niger and Russia. Despite military offensives and mobilization of the Volunteers for the defense of the Homeland, Islamic groups continue to control large areas of the country. The insurgency has led to the displacement of over 2 million people and the deaths of at least 20,000 civilians and combatants.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Large areas in Burkina Faso are suffering from severe food insecurity and disruption of public services. The war has been interpreted as being the Burkinabé theatre of the War in the Sahel. Following its incorporation into French West Africa in the late nineteenth century, Burkina Faso (then Upper Volta) remained one of France's least-developed colonies. French colonial authorities concentrated administrative and economic development in the country's central and southern regions, while much of the sparsely populated Sahel in the north received comparatively little investment. State authority in these northern areas often relied on traditional and religious leaders, and cross-border trade and migration with present-day Mali and Niger continued largely uninterrupted.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 2015: 2015 Milestone — Since August 2015, an insurgency has been fought between the government of Burkina Faso and Islamist militant groups, including Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), Ansarul Islam and the Islamic State – Sahel Province (IS–SP).
2. 2016: 2016 Milestone — The conflict intensified after 2016, when Ansarul Islam carried out large scaled attacks in northern Burkina Faso, causing violence to spread into the eastern and central regions.
3. 2022: 2022 Milestone — This led to two military coups in 2022 that brought Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba and later Captain Ibrahim Traoré to power.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Islamist insurgency in Burkina Faso

True or False: “The initial spread of Islam into present-day Burkina Faso occurred primarily through modern international aid organizations rather than established trade routes.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): Islam first spread into the region between the 11th and 15th centuries via trans-Saharan trade routes and the expansion of major empires.

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