Belehede massacre
| Belehede massacre | |
|---|---|
| Part of Jihadist insurgency in Burkina Faso | |
| Location | Belehede, Soum Province, Burkina Faso |
| Date | June 18, 2019 3pm – 5pm |
| Deaths | 18 |
| Injured | Unknown |
| Perpetrator |  Ansarul Islam (suspected) |
| Motive | Reprisal for government presence in village |
On June 18, 2019, jihadists suspected to be from Ansarul Islam attacked the village of Belehede, Soum Province, Burkina Faso, killing 18 civilians.
Background
[edit]Soum Province in northern Burkina Faso has been a hotbed of jihadist activity since the start of the jihadist insurgency in Burkina Faso.[1] Tensions between Mossi groups and Fulani groups after the Yirgou massacre in early 2019 led to clashes between these groups in the provincial capital of Arbinda in April.[2] The tensions were stoked by the Fulani-majority jihadist group Ansarul Islam, which has a large presence in Soum.[2] On June 10, an Ansarul Islam attack killed 19 civilians in the center of Arbinda.[2]
Prior to the massacre, during "Operation Doofu", the Burkinabe military used Belehede's school as a launching pad for patrols in the area against jihadist groups. These groups later used the military presence as justification for the massacre.[3]
Massacre
[edit]At around 3pm on June 18, a survivor of the attack stated she saw jihadists enter the town on motorcycles. As they entered, they broke into houses and shops, looting and pillaging the village.[3] The survivor said that the jihadists attacked the village because they accused the population of providing information and support to Burkinabe government forces.[3] All of the dead were Fulse and Mossi, with four children killed in the attack as well.[3]
On June 20, Minister of Defence Chérif Sy stated that "armed terrorist groups" attacked the village of Belehede, killing 17 civilians.[4] Sy also stated that government forces were conducting a counter-terrorist operation in the area.[4]
Aftermath
[edit]No group claimed responsibility for the attack, but Ansarul Islam is suspected due to its presence in the area.[5] After the attack, many residents from Belehede joined pro-government VDP militias and fought in the Siege of Djibo.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ Macé, Célian. "Au Burkina Faso, l'horreur de la guerre de proximité". Libération (in French). Retrieved 2025-03-18.
- ^ a b c "At least 19 killed in Burkina Faso attack". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
- ^ a b c d "Burkina Faso: Armed Islamist Atrocities Surge | Human Rights Watch". 2020-01-06. Retrieved 2025-04-27.
- ^ a b "Jihadists kill 17 civilians in raid north of Burkina Faso, says defence minister". France 24. 2019-06-20. Retrieved 2025-04-27.
- ^ a b ""DEATH WAS SLOWLY CREEPING ON US"" (PDF). Amnesty International. 2023. Retrieved April 27, 2025.