Three years on since Burkina Faso’s coup d’état, violence continues unabated

It’s been three years since Captain Ibrahim Traoré seized power in Burkina Faso through a coup d’état. He justified his takeover by claiming previous leaders had failed to protect the country from jihadist violence and promised to restore security within months.

Fast forward three years and the army is better supported with more weapons while thousands of Volunteers have joined their ranks. But on the ground, little has changed.

Terrorist groups still control large parts of the country, and violence continues unabated. According to the NGO, ACLED, Burkina Faso suffered as many attacks in 2024 and 2023 as in the years before, but with double the number of victims. Nearly 16,000 people have been killed in attacks in just two years.

Meanwhile, freedoms are shrinking. Human rights groups report a rise in arbitrary detentions and a crackdown on political, union, and press freedoms.

Today, Burkina Faso ranks as the most affected country by terrorism in the world, a grim milestone, three years after promises of peace.

Despite this, Traoré’s popularity has soared since his ascension to power. He has embarked on radical reforms that resonate with many Burkinabé.