Is Burkina Faso at Risk of Becoming Africa’s Afghanistan

In the heart of Burkina Faso’s Sanmatenga Province lies Barsalogho, a town that once symbolized resilience. But on Saturday, 24 August, Barsalogho’s resilience was shattered in the deadliest jihadist attack the nation has ever witnessed. As the first rays of dawn lit the skies, hundreds of men, some of whom had been forced to abandon their homes and lives elsewhere, began digging a defensive trench around the town. It was a routine now; an order from the army meant to protect Barsalogho from the jihadists who had terrorized the region for years. But by mid-morning, the sound of shovels scraping the dry earth was drowned out by the thunderous roar of automatic gunfire.

A swarm of attackers, dozens, possibly even hundreds, descended upon the town on motorcycles, their intent clear and their mission deadly. What had been a desperate attempt to defend their community quickly turned into a massacre. Eyewitnesses recount the horror of that day, describing how the attackers, their faces obscured by scarves, fired mercilessly into the crowd of workers. Some men, desperate to escape the hail of bullets, abandoned their shovels and fled, only to be shot in the back. For dozens of these men, the trench they had been digging for protection became their grave. Women too, didn’t escape the massacre, with some being killed as they fetched firewood nearby.

In the aftermath, Barsalogho was left in ruins, its streets silent but for the wails of grieving women and children. Bodies were buried in mass graves, hastily dug by the survivors, who now had the grisly task of laying to rest their husbands, fathers, sons, mothers, daughters and other loved ones.

“There is no life left in Barsalogho,” one resident lamented, the weight of their words echoing the collective despair of a community on the brink of annihilation.

Brief History of Barsalogho and Its Role as a Refuge for Displaced Burkinabe

Barsalogho was more than just a town; it was a refuge. In recent years, as jihadist violence escalated across Burkina Faso, tens of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) flocked to Barsalogho, seeking sanctuary from the horrors that had consumed their villages. The town, with its limited resources, became a safe haven, a place where the displaced could begin to rebuild their lives, albeit on uncertain foundations.

But Barsalogho’s role as a refuge was also its undoing. The town’s swelling population, coupled with its strategic location, made it an increasingly attractive target for jihadist groups. By 2019, Barsalogho was hosting over 90,000 IDPs, straining the town’s resources and further destabilizing the region. The influx of displaced people and the mounting pressure on local services were further exacerbated by the ever-present threat of jihadist attacks, which only grew more frequent and more brutal as time went on.

The Army’s Strategy: Trench Digging Around Barsalogho

In response to the growing jihadist threat, Burkina Faso’s military devised a controversial strategy: trench digging. The rationale behind the trenches was to create a defensive barrier around Barsalogho, one that would slow down or even prevent jihadist incursions. But the implementation of this strategy was flawed from the start. Instead of using machinery, the army conscripted local inhabitants to dig the trenches, often under threat of violence.

For the men of Barsalogho, digging the trench was not just backbreaking labor – it was a death sentence. The very trenches that were meant to protect them became death traps, offering no shelter from the jihadists who knew exactly where to strike. The military’s strategy backfired disastrously, and the trenches, far from saving Barsalogho, hastened its fall.

The Strategic Fallout: The Implications of Barsalogho’s Fall

The fall of Barsalogho has profound implications for Burkina Faso, particularly in terms of national security. The town’s loss exposes the vulnerability of the entire region, including the capital, Ouagadougou, which now lies just 145 kilometers south of the jihadists’ new front line. The fall of Barsalogho represents not just a military failure but a strategic catastrophe, one that leaves the country more exposed than ever before to further jihadist advances.

The psychological impact of Barsalogho’s fall cannot be overstated. For the people of Burkina Faso, Barsalogho was a symbol of resistance, a place that had withstood countless attacks and had become a beacon of hope for those displaced by the violence. Its fall is a devastating blow to national morale, one that underscores the jihadists’ growing strength.

Burkina Faso: On the Brink of Becoming Africa's Afghanistan?

With the fall of Barsalogho, comparisons between Burkina Faso and Afghanistan are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. Both countries have been torn apart by extremist violence. From the late seventies to the early nineties, the Mujahideen waged insurgent attacks in Afghanistan, culminating in the Taliban’s rise to power in 1996.

Burkina Faso’s Jihadist insurgents are reading from the Mujahideen playbook – exploiting weak governance, ethnic tensions, and porous borders to establish footholds and strongholds across the country. In both cases, the central government has struggled to maintain control, often relying on local militias to fight an increasingly bold insurgency.

But the parallels go deeper. Like Afghanistan, Burkina Faso is becoming a battleground for external powers, with foreign actors playing a significant role in shaping the conflict. The growing influence of jihadist groups in Burkina Faso is not just a local issue; it is a regional crisis with global implications, one that threatens to destabilize the broader West African region.

Ibrahim Traoré’s Struggle to Secure Burkina Faso

President Ibrahim Traoré inherited a country in crisis, one besieged by jihadist violence and teetering on the brink of collapse. Since taking power in a coup in September 2022, Traoré has vowed to make fighting terrorism his top priority. But his efforts, like those of his predecessors, have been met with limited success. But unlike his predecessors, he has exhibited a firm, fearless and innovative hand in steering forth the country. Unfortunately, some of the landmines ahead are beyond his control, which is why Africa must rally to his side and to the side of Burkina Faso’s people.

Traoré’s government faces immense challenges, both internal and external. Internally, the military is stretched thin, struggling to maintain control over vast swathes of territory while also dealing with the complexities of governing a country in turmoil. Externally, Burkina Faso’s neighbors are also grappling with jihadist threats, further complicating efforts to stabilize the region. Moreover, some powerful global players are working tirelessly in the shadows to destabilize Burkina Faso for their own selfish geopolitical interests.

The West’s Unseen Hand: Is There Foreign Influence Behind the Jihadists?

The geopolitical dynamics at play in Burkina Faso are complex and multifaceted, with Western powers, Russia, and regional actors all vying for influence. There is growing speculation that Western powers, concerned about Russia’s increasing presence in the Sahel, may be indirectly supporting jihadist groups as a counterweight. This echoes the Cold War-era strategy of the United States, which supported the Mujahideen in Afghanistan to counter Soviet influence. From 1979 to 1992 the US financed and armed the Muhahideen. If they have supported religious extremists before, what is to stop them from doing so now?

While the evidence for direct Western support of jihadist groups in Burkina Faso is circumstantial, the broader geopolitical context cannot be ignored. The presence of foreign mercenaries, the proliferation of arms, and the manipulation of local conflicts for strategic gain are all factors that contribute to the ongoing crisis. If Burkina Faso is indeed becoming Africa’s Afghanistan, it is because the country is caught in the crosshairs of a much larger global conflict, one that pits global powers against each other in a deadly game of influence.

Conclusion: The Future of Burkina Faso

The fall of Barsalogho marks a turning point in Burkina Faso’s struggle against jihadist violence. The town’s loss underscores the fragility of the country’s security situation and the immense challenges that lie ahead. For Burkina Faso to regain stability and peace, it will need to address the root causes of the conflict, including widespread water and food scarcity in the north, economic inequality, and the manipulation of ethnic tensions by external actors.

The path forward is fraught with danger. As Burkina Faso teeters on the brink of becoming Africa’s Afghanistan, the African Union must act swiftly to prevent further escalation. Only by addressing the underlying issues and supporting a comprehensive, all-Africa response to the jihadist threat in the Sahel, can Burkina Faso hope to emerge from this crisis and build a future free from the shadow of violence.

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