At Least 14 Soldiers Killed in Burkina Faso Attack
Last update: March 24, 2026
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Burkina Faso has faced persistent insurgent violence for over a decade from groups linked to Al-Qaeda and Islamic State, especially in its northern regions...
At least 14 soldiers were killed in a jihadist attack on a military post in northern Burkina Faso, security officials said on Tuesday, as violence surges again in the Sahel nation.
The attack occurred on Saturday in Bagade and was claimed by the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims, an affiliate of Al-Qaeda.
A security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, gave a provisional toll of 14 soldiers killed and several others missing. Another official said efforts were underway to neutralise the attackers, adding that many were killed during a counteroffensive.
WAMAPS, a West African network of journalists focusing on Sahel security, reported that nearly 20 soldiers and civilian auxiliaries known as Volunteers for the Defence of the Fatherland (VDPs) may have died.
The country has been under military rule since a 2022 coup, and authorities rarely comment in detail on attacks, often saying they are regaining ground from armed groups.
According to conflict monitor ACLED, more than 130 people were killed in multiple attacks over 10 days in February.
The United Nations has warned that the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from the Economic Community of West African States has weakened regional coordination in tackling rising extremism across the Sahel.
