Burkina Faso’s rival armed groups turn on each other as state loses ground
Summary
JNIM and the Islamic State affiliate in the Sahel have fought increasingly deadly battles along Burkina Faso’s northern border with Mali since early September. The clashes add to pressure on a government that has struggled to control parts of the country, while casualty claims from the groups remain unverified.Key Facts
- JNIM is affiliated with al-Qaeda, while the Islamic State in Sahel Province (ISSP) is affiliated with ISIL.
- ISSP claimed that more than 200 JNIM fighters died in an early September battle near Kacham; the figure has not been independently verified.
- ISIL’s publication claimed that more than 400 JNIM fighters died in October fighting near Ganadaouri; no independent assessment has confirmed the toll.
- Photographs released by ISSP on November 1 showed at least 120 bodies, according to i-Sahel’s count, but the people pictured could not be confirmed as victims of the reported battle.
- The rivalry between JNIM and ISSP began in 2019. ACLED has recorded about 320 armed clashes and more than 2,200 fighter deaths between them since then.
- ACLED documented more than 30 JNIM attacks in Burkina Faso during a February 2026 offensive that killed more than 120 soldiers, forest guards and militia fighters, according to the conflict monitor.
- Burkina Faso’s security crisis has displaced millions of people and disrupted access to farmland, markets and basic services.
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