Burkina Faso: At least 180 bodies found, rights group suspects extrajudicial killings

At least 180 dead bodies have been found in common graves in Djibo, a northern town in Burkina Faso, said Human Rights Watch in a report released on July 8, suggesting the involvement of government forces in the mass killings. The human rights organisation urged the government to seek assistance from the United Nations and other partners to conduct proper exhumations and hold those responsible to account.

Residents of Djibo told HRW that the dead bodies had been left in groups along major roadways under bridges, and in fields and vacant lots between November 2019 to June 2020. All dead bodies, with few exceptions, were found within a 5-kilometre radius of central Djibo with. They said that they buried most of them in common burials in March and April, while other remains are still unburied. 

“So many of the dead were blindfolded, had their hands tied up… and were shot in the head,” a community leader told HRW. “The bodies I saw appeared in the morning … dumped at night on the outskirts of Djibo, a town under the control of the army and in the middle of a curfew imposed and patrolled by the arm”.

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Extrajudicial killings suspected

According to HRW, residents believe that the majority of the victims were ethnic Fulani or Peuhl men and that many were found blindfolded and with bound hands, and had been shot. Corinne Dufka, Sahel director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement that the Burkina Faso authorities need to urgently uncover who turned Djibo into a “killing field”.

"Existing information points toward government security forces, so it's critical to have impartial investigations, evidence properly gathered, and families informed about what happened to their loved ones," she added.

On July 3, the Minister of Defense had to the HRW over the major findings, committing to investigate the allegations and to ensure the respect of human rights in security operations. The minister said that the killings occurred during an uptick in attacks by armed Islamists and suggested they could have been committed by these groups, using stolen army uniforms and logistics.

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(Representational Image: AP)