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Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported on Thursday that recent attacks by Islamist armed groups in Burkina Faso have resulted in civilian deaths and significant infrastructure destruction, constituting war crimes. The organization called on authorities to investigate these crimes and urged the international community to provide necessary support to Burkina Faso.
HRW stated that armed groups linked to Al Qaeda conducted three deadly attacks in northeastern Burkina Faso in January, committing serious human rights abuses against civilians. Abuses include the abduction of women, arbitrary executions of civilians, burning of property and local markets, and destruction of telecommunication infrastructure.
According to the rights group, attacks appeared to target communities with perceived ties to the country’s military, or Volunteers for the Defence of the Homeland (VDP). Additionally, Islamist armed groups carried out large-scale attacks against government forces and allied militias, resulting in numerous deaths among soldiers and forest guards. HRW noted that serious violations of international humanitarian law committed with criminal intent constitute war crimes.
International humanitarian law prohibits attacks against civilians and vital infrastructure during armed conflicts and wars. Article 3 of the Geneva Convention of 1949, which applies to non-international armed conflict, establishes certain protections to persons taking no active part in hostilities, including members of armed forces who have laid down their arms or are “hors de combat.” To this end, the article prohibits all kinds of violence against life and person, arbitrary executions, and taking of hostages. Furthermore, international law strictly prohibits targeting critical infrastructure that is essential for the survival of the civilian population during armed conflict, even if they are used by military forces.
Burkina Faso has struggled with armed conflict between the government and Jihadist African armed groups linked to Al Qaeda since 2016, known as the Sahel insurgency. The conflict has plunged the country into a humanitarian crisis and displaced over two million people. HRW has previously expressed concerns about the high number of deaths and escalating violence committed by Islamist groups in Burkina Faso. In October 2016, the rights group urged Burkinabe authorities to investigate the exploitation of civilians by the armed group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wa al-Muslimeen.
The country also faces political instability and is currently governed by a military junta that seized power after ousting the previous military regime led Paul Henri Sandaogo Damiba. To combat the insurgency, authorities have mobilized civilian militias, such as the VDP, to support security forces, which have also been criticized for committing human rights abuses.
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HRW stated that armed groups linked to Al Qaeda conducted three deadly attacks in northeastern Burkina Faso in January, committing serious human rights abuses against civilians. Abuses include the abduction of women, arbitrary executions of civilians, burning of property and local markets, and destruction of telecommunication infrastructure.
According to the rights group, attacks appeared to target communities with perceived ties to the country’s military, or Volunteers for the Defence of the Homeland (VDP). Additionally, Islamist armed groups carried out large-scale attacks against government forces and allied militias, resulting in numerous deaths among soldiers and forest guards. HRW noted that serious violations of international humanitarian law committed with criminal intent constitute war crimes.
International humanitarian law prohibits attacks against civilians and vital infrastructure during armed conflicts and wars. Article 3 of the Geneva Convention of 1949, which applies to non-international armed conflict, establishes certain protections to persons taking no active part in hostilities, including members of armed forces who have laid down their arms or are “hors de combat.” To this end, the article prohibits all kinds of violence against life and person, arbitrary executions, and taking of hostages. Furthermore, international law strictly prohibits targeting critical infrastructure that is essential for the survival of the civilian population during armed conflict, even if they are used by military forces.
Burkina Faso has struggled with armed conflict between the government and Jihadist African armed groups linked to Al Qaeda since 2016, known as the Sahel insurgency. The conflict has plunged the country into a humanitarian crisis and displaced over two million people. HRW has previously expressed concerns about the high number of deaths and escalating violence committed by Islamist groups in Burkina Faso. In October 2016, the rights group urged Burkinabe authorities to investigate the exploitation of civilians by the armed group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wa al-Muslimeen.
The country also faces political instability and is currently governed by a military junta that seized power after ousting the previous military regime led Paul Henri Sandaogo Damiba. To combat the insurgency, authorities have mobilized civilian militias, such as the VDP, to support security forces, which have also been criticized for committing human rights abuses.
The post Rights group raises alerts to rising Islamist groups armed-violence in Burkina Faso appeared first on JURIST - News.
Continue reading...
Note: We don't have any responsibilities about this news. Its been posted here by Feed Reader and we had no controls and checking on it. And because News posted here will be deleted automatically after 21 days, threads are closed so that no one spend time to post and discuss here. You can always check the source and discuss in their site.