Tawori 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 (JNIM) 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]

At 5:15 pm, JNIM militants attacked the Burkinabe base in Tawori, which was manned by pro-government militiamen from the Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland (VDP) and Burkinabe soldiers.^[3][4] Around 350 JNIM militants participated in the attack on 200 motorcycles, sparking clashes with the soldiers that lasted for an hour before the jihadists seized the camp.^[3][4] JNIM militants then stayed in the village for two more hours, looting the base and civilian homes and businesses.^[4] The militants also raided the Boungou gold mine located a kilometer to the north of Tawori.^[3][5] JNIM militants executed civilians en masse in Tawori and a neighboring village.^[5]

Burkinabe officials deployed a Bayraktar TB2 drone from Fada N'gourma to intervene, but the drone arrived too late.^[3]

Burkinabe officials reported a death toll of sixteen Burkinabe soldiers and 23 VDP.^[4] JNIM released footage of two captured Burkinabe soldiers, although the number of prisoners taken by the jihadists is unknown.^[3][5] At least 32 civilians were killed in the massacre after the battle as well.^[4][5]

The commander at the base in Tawori, Aboubacar Sidiki Barry, was discharged from the Burkinabe Army on April 4 for failing to call on air support in time when his base was being attacked.^[6] As a result, all the weapons at the base were looted by JNIM.^[7]