2023 in Burkina Faso explained

Incumbents

• President: Ibrahim Traoré
• Prime Minister: Apollinaire Joachim Kyélem de Tambèla
• President of the Patriotic Movement for Safeguard and Restoration: Ibrahim Traoré

Events

January–March

• 3 January – Twenty-eight civilians are found dead in the town of Nouna, in northwest Burkina Faso. Burkinabe human rights groups allege that the killings were perpetrated by pro-government militia VDP on December 15, 18, and 22.^{[1] [2]}
• 11 January – Nine Ahmadi Muslims are killed by Wahhabi Islamist terrorists in local Ahmadi mosque in Mahdi Abad, a village near the town of Dori.^[3]
• 20 January – The Burkina Faso Armed Forces rescue 62 women and four babies kidnapped by jihadists in Arbinda, Sahel Region, on January 15.^[4]
• 21 January – Burkina Faso demands that French forces withdraw from its territory after suspending a 2018 military accord that allowed the presence of French troops in the country. The ruling military junta has given France one month to complete the withdrawal.^[5]
• 25 January – France agrees to withdraw its 400 special forces from Burkina Faso, following the Saturday mandate from the ruling military junta that they withdraw within a month.^[6]
• 10 February – Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) suspends its operations in north-west Burkina Faso following the killings of two of its Burkinabe aid workers near Dédougou.^[7]
• 22 March – Ten volunteers and four Burkina Faso Armed Forces soldiers are killed during an ambush in Centre-Nord Region. Twenty attackers are killed.^[8]
• 27 March – Burkina Faso suspends France 24 broadcasts after the news agency aired an interview with the leader of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb earlier this month. The Burkinabé government accused France 24 of being a "mouthpiece for terrorists" and "hate speech", which the agency denies as "unfounded".
• 29 March – Burkina Faso formally resumes diplomatic relations with North Korea after suspending them in 2017 over the country's nuclear weapons program.^[9]

April

• 6 April –
  • Kourakou and Tondobi attacks: At least 44 people are killed by jihadists in two villages in Séno Province, Sahel Region.^[10]
  • 2023 Burkina Faso attacks

June

• 27 June – Suspected jihadists kill several Burkinabe soldiers and Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland members in a series of attacks against the troops in the village of Noaka in Pissila Department, Sanmatenga Province, and in the Sahel Region.^[11]
• 29 June – Burkina Faso's military government has taken action against a French television news channel La Chaine Info (LCI), suspending it due to concerns over objectivity and credibility in its report on the country's jihadist insurgency.^[12]

September

• 5 September – 2023 Yatenga Province clashes: Seventeen Burkinabé soldiers, thirty-six VDP militiamen, and several dozen Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin militants are killed during fighting in Yatenga Province.^[13]
• September 16 – The military governments of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso sign a mutual defence pact named the Alliance of Sahel States in case of internal rebellion or external military aggression.^[14]
• September 28 – 2023 Burkina Faso coup d'état attempt: The ruling junta of Burkina Faso arrests four officers suspected of attempting to stage a coup.^[15]

October

• October 18 – Burkina Faso’s health ministry declared a dengue fever epidemic after the country saw its deadliest outbreak of the disease in years. Over 200 people have died and new cases are increasing rapidly.^{[16] [17]}

November

• November 5 – At least 70 people were killed in a massacre in the village of Zaongo. The perpetrators of the attack are unknown.^[18]
• November 26 – About 3,000 JNIM launched a wave of attacks in an attempt to seize the town of Djibo, resulting in the deaths of several Burkinabe soldiers, 40 civilians, and over 400 attackers.^[19]

December

• On 17 December, a reshuffle took place where Ibrahim Traoré replaced foreign minister Olivia Rouamba with Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, named Stella Kabre as the new regional cooperation minister,^[20] and replaced mining minister Jean-Pierre Boussim with Yacouba Zabre Gouba.^[21]

Notes and References

1. News: 2023-01-03 . Bodies of 28 men found shot dead in Burkina Faso - prosecutors . en . Reuters . 2023-01-04.
2. Web site: 2023-01-03 . 28 Civilians Executed in Burkina Faso, Rights Group Blames Government Militia . 2023-01-04 . Atlas News . en-US.
3. News: 21 January 2023 . Windsor Ahmadi Muslims hold prayers in solidarity with victims of Burkina Faso attack . .
4. Web site: Army Frees Abducted Women, Babies in Burkina Faso . 2023-01-21 . VOA . 20 January 2023 . en.
5. News: 2023-01-22 . Burkina Faso military government demands departure of French troops . en . Reuters . 2023-01-23.
6. News: 2023-01-25 . Burkina Faso unrest: France agrees to pull its troops out . en-GB . BBC News . 2023-01-25.
7. Web site: AfricaNews . 9 Feb 2022 . MSF suspends operations in northwest Burkina Faso after gunmen kill two staff . 2023-02-10 . Africanews . en.
8. Web site: 2023-03-23 . At least 14 members of Burkina Faso security forces killed in terror attack . 2023-04-05 . France 24 . en.
9. Web site: Burkina Faso to resume diplomatic relations with North Korea . 2023-04-07 . www.aa.com.tr.
10. News: 2023-04-08 . Forty-four dead in two attacks in Burkina Faso . en . Reuters . 2023-04-10.
11. Web site: 2023-06-27 . Burkina Troops, Allied Militiamen Killed in Attacks, Security Sources Say . 2023-06-28 . VOA . en.
12. News: 2023-06-30 . Burkina Faso suspends French news channel over insurgency report . en . . 2023-06-30.
13. Web site: Mednick . Sam . More than 50 security forces killed by jihadis in Burkina Faso, as violence inches closer to capital . 2023-09-06 . ABC News . Associated Press . en.
14. News: 2023-09-16 . Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso sign Sahel security pact . en . Reuters . 2023-09-18.
15. Web site: Goillandeau . Martin . 2023-09-28 . Four officers arrested in Burkina Faso after thwarted coup attempt, prosecutor says . 2023-09-29 . CNN . en.
16. Web site: Dengue Fever Kills Hundreds in Burkina Faso as Cases Spike . 2023-10-19 . www.voanews.com.
17. News: 2023-10-19 . Dengue fever kills hundreds in Burkina Faso as cases spike . en . Reuters . 2023-10-19.
18. News: 2023-11-13 . At least 70 killed in attack on northern Burkina Faso village on Nov. 5 -prosecutor . en . Reuters . 2023-11-21.
19. Web site: 2023-11-28 . Dozens killed in attack by armed groups in Burkina Faso, UN says . 2023-11-28 . France 24 . en.
20. Web site: Burkina Faso's military leader sacks foreign minister . 2023-12-18 . www.aa.com.tr.
21. Web site: Burkina Faso names new mining minister in government reshuffle . 2023-12-18 . MINING.COM . en-US.