Security Spotlight: Burkina Faso & Niger
Burkina Faso 08 August-16 August
• On 15 August, a unit of the Rapid Action Group for Surveillance and Intervention (GARSI), Burkinabe military, was attacked in the Boucle du Mouhoun region, 10km from Tougan, by suspected Al-Qaeda-affiliated Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) terrorists. At least 14 Burkinabe troops were killed.
• On 11 August, Burkinabe air support was dispatched to aid a position under attack in Sagouem, Centre-North region by suspected JNIM terrorist militants. The number of soldier and civilian casualties is unconfirmed.
• Between 10-15 August, Burkinabe troops conducted anti-terrorist activities in the East region, including in W Park, Nassougou, Tapoa province, in the area where the ambush on 9 August took place. Government-backed sources claim a large JNIM base was destroyed, over 20 terrorists eliminated, and military equipment retrieved.
• On 10 August, Burkinabe troops completed Operation Éclair (beginning 6 August) in the Manni and Bogandé areas, East region, with government sources reporting the elimination of 86 terrorists and recuperation of military equipment. Four soldiers were also reported injured. Unconfirmed local reports suggest at least 80 civilians were killed during the operation.
• On 9 August, suspected JNIM terrorists attacked a military convoy escorting 1,000 civilians on Regional Road 28 in Tawori village, near Nassougou, Tapoa province, East region. Government sources report that the troops successfully repelled the ambush, while other sources report between 100-500 solider and civilian fatalities, and military equipment taken.
Analysis
The attack on the GARSI soldiers by JNIM terrorists near Tougan is only one of the latest attacks on the Burkinabe military in the region, reflecting the wider security issues faced by Burkina Faso. JNIM’s ability to attack both military and civilian convoys across several regions highlight their capabilities and undermines government control. Heavy-handed responses by the military – such as with Operation Éclair – poses significant risk to civilian life, with their unpredictable nature making them difficult to avoid. It is advised to exercise extreme caution when operating or travelling in the aforementioned regions.
The JNIM attack on a military convoy escorting 1,000 civilians on Regional Road 28 in the East region highlights strength of the terrorists operating the area, particularly in rural settings. Differing reports from government-backed and local sources suggest a lack of transparency in state-led media, posing increased risk to third-party stakeholders. The civilian casualties will only undermine further public trust in the military to protect them.
The use of air support in response to this – and other – attacks, meanwhile, poses a threat to life and stability, worsening the humanitarian issues faced by civilians in the East region. Similar tactics can be predicted to be used again, perhaps more so now as the Burkinabe authorities seek to prevent similar incidents from occurring.
The rising humanitarian crisis, worsening economic situation and lack of job opportunities in the country where the government only yields control over 60% of its territory is enabling the spread of Islamic extremism and recruitment of individuals into terrorism organisations across the Sahel. The risk of violence and conflict remains high and the prospect of further violence between terrorist militants and Burkinabe military persists, with civilians at risk of injury and death.
Niger 08 August-16 August
• On 16 August, Benin authorised the resumption of Nigerien crude oil trade through its Sémé port. The land border remains closed.
• On 14 August, suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) militants attacked a military escort travelling between Maïné-Soroa and Diffa town, Diffa region. Four civilians were killed and several soldiers and civilians were wounded.
• On August 13 the Defence and Security Forces (FDS) captured a leading terrorist individual in Torodi, Say Department, Tillabéri Region. The capture was accompanied, however, by violence in Chatoumane, Bankilaré Department, and several villages in Ayorou district, Tillabéri Region. 24 civilians were reported deceased.
• Between 12 and 13 August at least 52 people drowned in Tillia department, on the road between Tahoua and Telemces following heavy rains. The commune of Tabalak in the Abalak department was also severely affected.
• On 9 August Russian authorities announced ongoing cooperation with Nigerien and Malian authorities to free two Russian hostages taken by JNIM in July. The hostages were Russian geologists taken in Mnaga, Tillaberi region, where they were visiting gold-mines at the time of abduction.
Analysis
The resumption of Nigerien crude oil trade through Benin suggests improved diplomatic relations between the two governments, but the land border remaining closed reflects the wider issues of the Sahel, Niger and terrorist insurgency in the region. The Chinese-made pipeline is part of its wider Belt-and-Road initiative, demonstrating the increasing Eastern influence in Sub-Saharan Africa – something echoed by the presence of Wagner mercenaries in the fight against terrorism.
The terrorist activity by Islamist militants, including violence against civilians, in rural Tillabéri region highlights the lack of central government and military control over the terrorist-inhabited regions of Niger, particularly in the borderlands with Burkina Faso and Mali, with the risk of violence transferring across borders. This is worsened by the thousands of displaced persons moving across the border from Burkina Faso into Niger following attacks on civilians there also.
Likewise, the attack on a military convoy in Diffa region by ISWAP militants towards the border with Chad and Nigeria, where they have also been conducting cross-border operations, using guerrilla tactics in the rural region, posing significant security risk. Such militancy is part of wider operations in the Lake Chad Basin against military convoys and bases, whilst simultaneously oppressing and recruiting local displaced peoples. The risk of violence remains high.
The floods in Tillia department pose significant safety risks to travellers in the region but form only part of a wider issue affecting all eight regions of Niger. The most seriously affected areas include Maradi, Zinder, Tahoua, and Agadez. Expect widespread road closures, disruption to infrastructure and shortages of basic resources.
The kidnapping of two Russian geologists highlights the ongoing risk to third-party individuals. Given Nigerien hostility towards Western powers, demonstrated by the French and American military withdrawals from the country, which has hindered security cooperation, poses greater risk to individuals.