In a significant move to combat escalating jihadist violence, the military regime in Burkina Faso has announced the formation of new rapid response forces, aimed at enhancing security in a country that has faced a decade of devastating attacks. The initiative includes the recruitment of 14,000 soldiers, alongside a considerable number of civilian support staff. This effort is a response to a security crisis that has resulted in the deaths of an estimated 26,000 soldiers and civilians.
Prime Minister Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouedraogo presented this plan to the transitional parliament, emphasizing that the establishment of new battalions will elevate the number of rapid response forces to 28 within the army, as well as increasing police mobile units to 13. Ouedraogo noted that these new recruits comprise over 14,000 soldiers of various types, along with thousands of civilian defense volunteers who have been trained and equipped to assist in the fight against insurgency.
Despite these efforts, concerns persist about the conduct of the rapid intervention battalions (BIR) and civilian defense volunteers (VDP), which have faced accusations of human rights abuses against civilians. Recently, reports emerged detailing incidents of such abuses in the western regions of Burkina Faso.
The ongoing violence has resulted in a humanitarian crisis, displacing more than two million people, according to estimates from the United Nations refugee agency as of March 2023. Ouedraogo reported, however, that progress is being made, with more than one million internally displaced individuals now resettled across nearly 700 localities. Additionally, he claimed that over 71 percent of the territory previously held by armed groups has been recaptured, though this figure has not been independently verified.
The prime minister described the situation as unprecedented in Burkina Faso’s history, highlighting the severity of the crisis. A Western military source warned that terrorist groups are reportedly advancing toward the capital, Ouagadougou, now located at least 100 kilometers (approximately 62 miles) from key points of conflict to the north and east. These groups are known to control vital transport routes, engaging in ambushes and kidnappings that disrupt supply chains and contribute to the overall insecurity.
Two prominent jihadist groups responsible for the violence in Burkina Faso are the Al-Qaeda affiliated Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims and the Islamic State Sahel Province. The former is said to have created a significant operational corridor extending from northern Burkina Faso to the Tillaberi region of neighboring Niger, posing a continuing threat to stability in the region.
