Sorgha attack

Violence by jihadist groups increased exponentially since the September 2022 Burkina Faso coup d'état that overthrew putschist Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, who came to power in a coup that January.^[1] Much of the violence was caused by the al-Qaeda-aligned Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin and it's affiliates in Burkina Faso and the Islamic State – Sahil Province, which have besieged towns and launched deadly attacks on Burkinabe soldiers and pro-government militiamen.^[2]

A week prior to the Sorgha attack, JNIM killed over 33 Burkinabe militiamen at Noaka, and another 34 at Namssiguia.^[3]

Early on the morning of July 5, suspected JNIM militants on motorcycles entered the village of Sorgha and began shooting at residents.^[4][5] The jihadists torched houses, granaries, and shops in the village before fleeing.^[6] Several people injured in the attack were evacuated to a hospital in Bogandé.^[6] After the attack, residents of Sorgha and the neighboring village of Nindangou began fleeing en masse to Bogande and other cities, in fear of another jihadist attack.^[6] The Burkinabe government said that "security operations are underway".^[4]

At least 15 people were killed in the attack, according to local and Burkinabe government sources.^[6] Women were among the dead.^[7] The number of injured civilians is unknown.^[6]