Rival Armed Groups Escalate Fighting as Burkina Faso Loses Ground
Fighting between Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda affiliate, and the Islamic State affiliate in Sahel Province (ISSP) has intensified along Burkina Faso’s northern border with Mali since early September. The rival groups are competing for territory, influence and access to local populations, while Burkina Faso’s government struggles to restore authority across much of the country.
ISSP claimed that more than 200 JNIM fighters were killed and more than 30 captured near Kacham in early September, along with weapons and motorcycles. If verified, the battle would be the deadliest recorded confrontation between the two groups, according to Heni Nsaibia of ACLED. After a further clash around Ganadaouri in Oudalan province on October 9, ISIL’s weekly publication Al-Naba claimed that more than 400 JNIM fighters had died. The claim remains unverified. Photographs released on November 1 showed at least 120 bodies, according to i-Sahel, but could not establish who they were or how they died.
The rivalry has persisted since 2019, with ACLED recording about 320 armed confrontations and more than 2,200 fighter deaths. At the same time, JNIM has continued attacking government forces and state-backed Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland. More than 30 attacks during a February 2026 offensive killed over 120 soldiers, forest guards and militia fighters.
The conflict between the armed groups could temporarily relieve pressure on Burkina Faso, but it is unlikely to bring lasting security. JNIM remains active across several countries, while ISSP may gain strength from its battlefield successes. Civilians continue to face displacement and disrupted access to farmland, markets and basic services. About 4.5 million people in Burkina Faso are expected to need humanitarian assistance in 2026, while the latest consolidated official displacement estimate, from March 2023, was approximately 2.1 million.
Continue in the app — vote & join in ➔