Burkinabe officials announced that Operation Kapidougou, also dubbed Operation Ruche began on April 3, 2023.[6] This initial operation was later dubbed Operation Kapidougou I The operation was being led by a commander named "Captain Lion" of the 5th Rapid Intervention brigade, and around 800 soldiers were taking part in the operation on the Burkinabe side.[7] The goal of the operation, according to Burkinabe media, was the recapture of towns and territory in the region from JNIM.[6][7] Around 100 soldiers from both Mali and Burkina Faso were deployed to key towns in Boucle du Mouhoun.[8]
The first convoy of Burkinabe soldiers left Ouahigouya towards Boucle du Mouhoun.[9] Burkinabe media reported that several militants were killed in Aorema and Loroum on April 14.[10] At 5pm on April 15, Burkinabe soldiers broke the JNIM siege of Gomboro in Sourou Province along the Malian border, delivering supplies to the population.[9] That same day, six soldiers and over 30 Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland (VDP) miltiiamen from the operation were killed in a JNIM ambush in Aorema.[11] The Burkinabe government claimed to have killed dozens of jihadists in aerial reprisal attacks.[11] The attack was the first major defeat for Burkinabe forces during Operation Kapidougou. On April 16, twelve militants were reported killed by Burkinabe forces in Tonkoroni, Nouna Department.[10] Burkinabe media posted videos of soldiers sweeping the town of Gassen on April 17, after battles that had reportedly killed 18 militants.[10][12] The following day, more videos were posted of Burkinabe soldiers on the Gassen-Lanfiéra-Lery axis.[13]
Malian soldiers entered the operation on April 21 under the command of Abdoul Wahib Coulibaly and his superior, Colonel-Major Toumani Kone.[14] This second operation was called Operation Kapidougou II in Malian and Burkinabe media.[8][14] This operation was the first directed by new Defense Minister Celestin Simpore since his appointment on March 31.[10]
By May 2023, several localities in Boucle du Mouhoun region were still under the influence of JNIM although several cities received a boost in troops.[15] There was no defined end of the operation.[16]
The civilian population of Kossi Province and Mouhoun Province were caught by both jihadists and the government during Operation Kapidougou, leading to many killed in reprisal killings on both sides.[15] JNIM placed IEDs along the roads leading in and out of Nouna, along with kidnapping, assassinating, and extorting civilians in the area.[15] On May 12, 2023, JNIM attacked the town of Youlou killing 23 people and on May 20 attacked the town of Kie, killing 20 people.[15] A special delegation of officials from Tchériba Department were kidnapped by JNIM on May 12, and the president of the department killed.[15] Around 4,000 civilians fled Youlou to Tcheriba from May 15-18.[15]
On April 20, Burkinabe soldiers from the 3rd Rapid Intervention Brigade massacred over 150 civilians in the town of Karma, Yatenga Province as a reprisal attack for the attack on Burkinabe forces at Aorema.[17] The massacre was the deadliest in Burkinabe history.[17]
Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin
