2021 Inata attack

Last updated
2021 Inata attack
Part of Jihadist insurgency in Burkina Faso
DateNovember 14, 2021
Location
Inata, Soum Province, Burkina Faso
Result

Jihadist victory

Belligerents
Flag of Burkina Faso.svg Burkina Faso Islamic State flag.svg Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin
Islamic State flag.svg Ansarul Islam
Strength
100-150 soldiers 300 fighters
Casualties and losses
53 killed
20 missing		 Unknown
4 civilians killed

On November 14, 2021, jihadists from Ansarul Islam and Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin attacked the mining town of Inata, Burkina Faso, the last place in Djibo Department under Burkinabe government control at the time of the attack. The Burkinabe outpost in Inata was overrun and over fifty soldiers were killed. The attack was the deadliest ambush against Burkinabe forces since the start of the jihadist insurgency in Burkina Faso in 2015, and was a primary reason for the January 2022 Burkina Faso coup d'état. [1]

Contents

Background

Inata is a gold mining town in northern Burkina Faso's Soum Province, a hotspot of activity by jihadist groups Ansarul Islam and Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM). The town had been attacked before in 2018 by Ansarul Islam, but these attacks were repelled. [2] At the time of the attack in November 2021, Inata was the last area of Djibo Department under Burkinabe government control. [3] Since 2021, JNIM had become the dominant jihadist group in the region after driving out the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara earlier that year. [3] The region was so dangerous and volatile that the Burkinabe garrison in Djibo refused to relieve the soldiers in Inata except by helicopter. [3]

The living conditions in the Burkinabe camp at Inata were deplorable. The base was constantly besieged and attacked by jihadists who targeted their supplies, and soldiers were often forced to scavenge and hunt for food. [3] On November 12, 2021, the commander of the Inata garrison alerted Burkinabe officials that "for two weeks, the detachment had been feeding itself by slaughtering animals," and requested authorization to leave the position. [4] Reinforcements who were supposed to take over the garrison refused to go to the frontline without aerial and armored support, which Burkinabe authorities did not grant. [4]

Attack

At the time of the attack, Inata was being defended by 100 to 150 soldiers and gendarmes, according to RFI. [5] AFP stated 150 were present, and Le Monde stated 120 men were in Inata. [6] [7] Le Monde reported that the attack was led by jihadists from JNIM with militants from Ansarul Islam. [4] [7] AFP initially reported that the jihadist attack was led by "a large number of armed individuals" riding on motorcycles and pick-ups. This number was later assessed to be around 300 fighters. [8]

The attack occurred at 5:30 a.m., with the jihadists launching an assault on the Inata base located near an old mine. [9] [10] Fighting was intense, and the gendarmes were quickly overpowered by the jihadists. Several gendarmes were shot dead trying to flee the area. [11] [12] The jihadists then torched the camp buildings before fleeing. [4]

Aftermath

The first report following the attack stated at least twenty soldiers were killed, but this number was revised several times by the Burkinabe government. [10] On November 17, the Minister of Communications Ousseni Tamboura stated in a cabinet meeting that the death toll was 49 gendarmes and 4 civilians killed, and that 46 gendarmes had been found alive. [13] [6] On November 22, Tamboura stated that 57 people had been killed including 53 gendarmes. [14] As of December 8, 2021, twenty soldiers were still missing. [4] The attack was the deadliest attack against Burkinabe forces since the start of the jihadist insurgency in Burkina Faso. [4]

A video released by a unit claiming to be JNIM showed dozens of attackers storming the base with machine guns mounted on pick-ups. [15] JNIM stated that sixty soldiers were killed and released photos of looted weaponry, including 86 assault rifles, five RPGs, and several machine guns. The military base in Inata was completely destroyed. [16]

Reactions

President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré declared national mourning for three days. [5] Hundreds of people protested in several cities across Burkina Faso over the government's ineffectiveness in fighting the jihadists, with some protesters demanding the resignation of Kabore. [4] On the night between November 17 and 18, a French convoy was blocked by protesters for several hours between Bobo-Dioulasso and Ouagadougou. [4]

Burkinabe officials dismissed the commander of the Northern Sector, covering Centre-Nord Region, Nord Region, and Sahel Region, and the commander the first gendarmerie region that covers Kaya Department, Ouahigouya Department, and Dori Department. [13] Kabore promised that there would be no more talk of food issues in the Burkinabe army. [13] Prime Minister Christophe Dabiré resigned on December 8, 2021, along with the entire Burkinabe government due to backlash from the attack. [17] Dabire was replaced by Lassina Zerbo. [17]

The government instability due to Dabire's resignation, the food shortages leading up to the Inata attack, and the attack itself all served as rationale for the January 2022 Burkina Faso coup d'état led by Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba that overthrew Kabore. [1]

Related Research Articles

On 16 December 2016, jihadists from Ansarul Islam and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara attacked a Burkinabe army outpost in Nassoumbou, Soum Province, Burkina Faso, killing twelve soldiers. The attack was the first claimed by Ansarul Islam, Burkina Faso's first homegrown jihadist movement that formed a month prior.

On December 24, 2019, militants from the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara attacked the Burkinabe government military base in Arbinda, Sahel Region, Burkina Faso along with the town of Arbinda itself. The attack was halted due to French and Burkinabe air intervention, although 35 civilians were killed in the jihadists' massacre. The Arbinda attack was the deadliest incident in the jihadist insurgency in Burkina Faso in several years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jihadist insurgency in Burkina Faso</span> Ongoing insurgency in Burkina Faso (2015–present)

An ongoing war and civil conflict between the Government of Burkina Faso and Islamist rebels began in August 2015 and has led to the displacement of over 2 million people and the deaths of at least 10,000 civilians and combatants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yirgou massacre</span> 2019 terrorist attack in Burkina Faso

On the night between December 31, 2018, and January 1, 2019, alleged Ansarul Islam jihadists attacked the village of Yirgou, in Barsalogho Department, Burkina Faso. While initial reports claimed the attack killed six people, including the village chief and his son, later reports and investigations showed up to 210 people were killed.

The battle of Boulikessi took place between September 30 and October 1, 2019. Jihadists from JNIM and Ansarul Islam attacked Malian bases in Boulikessi and Mondoro, killing between 40 and 85 Malian soldiers, making it the deadliest attack for the Malian army since the Second Battle of Kidal in 2014.

On March 5, 2017, jihadists from Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin attacked Malian forces in Boulikessi. The attack was the first by JNIM since its inception that month.

On January 11, 2023, unknown jihadists killed nine civilians at a mosque in Goulgountou, Burkina Faso.

On January 28, 2023, suspected Islamic State jihadists attacked Burkinabe soldiers and Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland (VDP) militiamen in the city of Falagountou, Burkina Faso.

On May 30, 2020, unknown militants ambushed an aid convoy escorted by Burkinabe gendarmes near the town of Barsalogho as it was returning from delivering food to civilians in Sanmatenga Province, Burkina Faso. Thirteen people were killed and forty others were wounded in the attack.

Amadou Boucary, nom de guerre Djaffar Dicko and Yéro, is a Burkinabe jihadist who has served as the leader of Ansarul Islam since 2017.

On October 12, 2016, jihadists from the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara attacked Burkinabe troops at Intangom, Tin-Akoff Department, Burkina Faso, killing four soldiers,

On November 9, 2017, clashes broke out between Burkinabe forces and Ansarul Islam in the hills between Kereboule and Ariel, Soum Province, Burkina Faso. It was the first major victory against jihadists by the Burkinabe government since the start of the jihadist insurgency in the country.

The 2018 Inata attack occurred between October 3 and 4, 2018, when suspected militants from Ansarul Islam attacked the gold mines near Inata, Burkina Faso, but were repulsed by Burkinabe forces.

On December 27, 2018, jihadists from Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin attacked Burkinabe soldiers in Loroni, northern Burkina Faso, killing ten soldiers. The attack was the deadliest incident for Burkinabe forces since the Nassoumbou attack in 2016.

On August 19, 2019, jihadists from the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara attacked Burkinabe forces in Koutougou, Soum Province, Burkina Faso. 24 Burkinabe soldiers were killed in the attack, and Burkinabe authorities were forced to abandon military outposts in several northern Burkinabe towns following the attack. The attack was the deadliest jihadist attack in Burkinabe history up to that point.

On August 4, 2021, jihadists from the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara attacked several towns and Burkinabe bases in Markoye Department, Oudalan Province, Burkina Faso. Several rural villages were raided and civilians were killed, and the jihadist raids on Burkinabe bases in Tokabangou sparked battles that killed dozens of Burkinabe soldiers and ISGS fighters. The attacks were the deadliest day for the Burkinabe government since the Solhan and Tadaryat massacres in June 2021.

On August 8, 2021, jihadists from Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin ambushed Burkinabe forces in Dounkoun, Toeni Department, Burkina Faso, killing twelve soldiers.

On August 18, 2021, jihadists from Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin ambushed a convoy of Burkinabe soldiers and civilians near Boukouma, Séno Province, Burkina Faso. The ambush sparked clashes between the jihadists and the soldiers, leaving dozens dead on both sides. At least 65 civilians were killed in the ambush as well.

On December 23, 2021, jihadists from Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin and Ansarul Islam attacked Burkinabe forces in Titao, Loroum Province, Burkina Faso, killing 41 soldiers. The attack was one of the deadliest attacks against Burkinabe soldiers in the country's history, and occurred just over a month after an attack on Inata killed over fifty soldiers. News of the attack sparked protests across Burkina Faso.

References

  1. 1 2 Dwyer, Maggie (January 28, 2022). "Burkina Faso's coupmakers capitalized on wider grievances within the ranks". Washington Post. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Burkina Faso: raid de la force Barkhane après l'attaque d'une gendarmerie". RFI (in French). 2018-10-04. Retrieved 2024-09-24.
  3. 1 2 3 4 FRANCE 24 (2021-11-15). Burkina Faso : au moins 20 morts dans une attaque jihadiste dans le nord du pays • FRANCE 24 . Retrieved 2024-09-24– via YouTube.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Au Burkina Faso, la colère monte après l'attaque meurtrière du poste d'Inata" (in French). 2021-11-19. Retrieved 2024-09-24.
  5. 1 2 "Burkina Faso: trois jours de deuil national après l'attaque à Inata". RFI (in French). 2021-11-15. Retrieved 2024-09-24.
  6. 1 2 "Burkina : l'attaque de dimanche contre les gendarmes a fait au moins 53 morts". Le Figaro (in French). 2021-11-14. Retrieved 2024-09-24.
  7. 1 2 "Au Burkina Faso, l'armée en plein doute face aux attaques terroristes" (in French). 2021-12-08. Retrieved 2024-09-24.
  8. ↑ "Burkina: l'attaque d'Inata illustre la déroute de l'armée face aux jihadistes". Voice of America (in French). 2021-11-23. Retrieved 2024-09-24.
  9. ↑ "Burkina Faso : des djihadistes présumés font au moins 20 morts dans le nord du pays" (in French). 2021-11-15. Retrieved 2024-09-24.
  10. 1 2 "Burkina Faso: au moins vingt morts dans une attaque dans le Soum". RFI (in French). 2021-11-15. Retrieved 2024-09-24.
  11. ↑ "Attaque mortelle contre un détachement de gendarmerie dans le nord du Burkina Faso". France 24 (in French). 2021-11-14. Retrieved 2024-09-24.
  12. ↑ DOUCE, à Ouagadougou, Sophie (2021-12-12). "Burkina Faso. Le cri du cœur des militaires après la pire attaque contre l'armée". Ouest-France.fr (in French). Retrieved 2024-09-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. 1 2 3 "Attaques au Burkina Faso: les premières sanctions tombent, le scepticisme demeure". RFI (in French). 2021-11-18. Retrieved 2024-09-24.
  14. ↑ "Burkina : une vingtaine de morts, dont 9 gendarmes, lors d'une attaque dans le nord". Le Figaro (in French). 2021-11-22. Retrieved 2024-09-24.
  15. ↑ Nasr, Wassim (November 18, 2021). "#BurkinaFaso montage de l'attaque d'#Inata par une unité qui se revendique du #JNIM. Ce n'est pas une com officielle. On remarque: 1/ la présence de mitrailleuse lourde 14,5x2 sur 4x4". Twitter. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  16. ↑ Obscura, Calibre (November 18, 2021). "#BurkinaFaso #Sahel Some of the very large capture by JNIM frm Gendarme in #Inata". Twitter. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  17. 1 2 "Burkina Faso : impuissant face aux attaques djihadistes, le gouvernement démissionne" (in French). 2021-12-09. Retrieved 2024-09-24.
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