In a new report, Human Rights Watch said forces “summarily executed” 223 civilians in February.
Burkina Faso has suspended broadcasters BBC and Voice of America (VOA) from broadcasting for two weeks over their coverage of a report accusing the army of extrajudicial killings of civilians, authorities said.
In a new report released Thursday, international organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) said forces “summarily executed” 223 civilians, including at least 56 children, in two villages in February.
The country’s Supreme Council of Communications (known by its French acronym CSC) announced late Thursday that “the programs of these two international radio stations broadcasting from Ouagadougou have been suspended for a period of two weeks,” adding that BBC Africa and the United States-funded VOA had also published the report on their digital platforms.
HRW’s report contained “forceful and tendentious” statements against the army that were likely to lead to public unrest, CSC claimed, adding that there were “hasty and biased statements without concrete evidence against the Burkinabe army.”
It said the country’s internet service providers had been ordered to block access to the websites and other digital platforms of the BBC, VOA and HRW from Burkina Faso.
Burkina Faso communications spokesperson Tonssira Myrian Corine Sanou warned other media networks against reporting the story.
“VOA stands by its coverage of Burkina Faso and intends to continue to provide full and fair coverage of activities in the country,” the network said in a news article reporting its suspension.
HRW said the “massacre” appeared to be part of a “wide-ranging military campaign” against civilians accused of collaborating with armed groups.
According to the report, soldiers killed at least 44 people, including 20 children, in the village of Nondin and 179 people, including 36 children, in the nearby village of Soro.
HRW interviewed dozens of witnesses between February and March and analyzed videos and photos shared by survivors. The organization also reportedly obtained lists of victims’ names compiled by survivors and located eight mass graves using satellite images from March 15.
Last year, Burkinabe authorities suspended French television channels LCI and France24, as well as Radio France Internationale and Jeune Afrique magazine. The correspondents of the French newspapers Libération and Le Monde were also expelled.
The West African country is ruled by a military government led by Captain Ibrahim Traore, who seized power in a coup in September 2022, eight months after an earlier military coup toppled democratically elected President Roch Marc Kabore.
Civilians were caught in the crossfire as violence escalated between the army and armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS). The country’s military leaders have severed ties with former colonial ruler France and turned to Russia for security.