2023 Namsiguia ambush

2023 Namsiguia ambush
Part of Jihadist insurgency in Burkina Faso
DateJune 26, 2023
Location
Namsiguia, Bam Province, Burkina Faso
Result Indecisive
Belligerents

Burkina Faso

Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin
Casualties and losses
34 killed
20 injured
10 missing		 40 killed (per Burkina Faso)

On June 26, 2023, jihadists from Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin ambushed a Burkinabe convoy near Namssiguia, Bam Province, Burkina Faso. The attack and subsequent battle killed 34 Burkinabe soldiers, with Burkinabe authorities stating over 40 jihadists were killed.

Background

Violence by jihadist groups increased exponentially since the September 2022 Burkina Faso coup d'état that overthrew putschist Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, who came to power in a coup that January.[1] Much of the violence was caused by the al-Qaeda-aligned Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin and it's affiliates in Burkina Faso and the Islamic State – Sahil Province, which have besieged towns and launched deadly attacks on Burkinabe soldiers and pro-government militiamen.[2]

Namsiguia had previously been a target of jihadists, with a bombing in August 2022 killing 15 Burkinabe soldiers.[3] An attack on civilians in the town in January killed nine people.[4]

Attack

At the time of the attack, the convoy was returning from the besieged city of Djibo, which had been blockaded by jihadist groups including JNIM since 2022.[5][6] In a press release, Burkinabe authorities stated that the fighting between the two groups after the attack was violent.[5] The Burkinabe government stated that 31 soldiers and three pro-government VDP militiamen were killed, and twenty more were injured. Around ten others were reported missing as well.[7] The statement also claimed forty jihadists were killed.[8][9]

The Namsiguia convoy attack occurred the same day as jihadists stormed a VDP base in Noaka, killing over thirty VDPs.[10]

References

  1. ^ "Militant Islamist Group Violence Engulfs Burkina Faso" (PDF). Africa Center for Strategic Studies. August 2023. Retrieved October 17, 2024.
  2. ^ "The juntas dig in as instability worsens". www.africa-confidential.com. Retrieved 2024-10-17.
  3. ^ "Twin Blasts Kill 15 Burkina Faso Troops, Army Says". Voice of America. 2022-08-09. Retrieved 2024-10-18.
  4. ^ Human Rights Watch (2023-01-12), "Burkina Faso: Events of 2022", Share this via Facebook, retrieved 2024-10-18
  5. ^ a b "Au moins 34 militaires tués dans une attaque au Burkina Faso". Voice of America (in French). 2023-06-28. Retrieved 2024-10-18.
  6. ^ "Burkina Faso: Heightened security likely after June 26 armed attack on supply convoy kills at least 34 soldiers in Namsiguia, Center-North Region". Burkina Faso: Heightened security likely after June 26 armed attack on supply convoy kills at least 34 soldiers in Namsiguia, Center-North Region | Crisis24. Retrieved 2024-10-18.
  7. ^ "Burkina Faso: trois attaques terroristes font plus de 70 morts dans l'Ouest et le Nord". RFI (in French). 2023-06-30. Retrieved 2024-10-18.
  8. ^ "Crisis Watch: July Alerts and June Trends 2023". International Crisis Group. July 2023. Retrieved October 18, 2024.
  9. ^ "Burkina Faso : 31 militaires et 3 volontaires tués dans une attaque" (in French). 2023-06-27. Retrieved 2024-10-18.
  10. ^ Jalloh, Abu bakr (2023-06-29). "Some 60 Burkina troops, volunteers killed by jihadists - Report". APAnews - African Press Agency. Retrieved 2024-10-18.