{{Short description|2022 battle in Burkina Faso}} {{Infobox battle | conflict = Bourzanga attack | place = Bourzanga, Bam Province, Burkina Faso | partof = Jihadist insurgency in Burkina Faso | date = May 21, 2022 | result = Franco-Burkinabe victory | combatant1 = {{flagdeco|Burkina Faso}} Burkina Faso<br>{{flagdeco|France}} France | combatant2 = {{flagdeco|ISIS}} Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin | strength1 = 100 men | strength2 = 100–200 men | casualties1 = 5 killed, 10 wounded | casualties2 = 35–45 killed }} {{Campaignbox Jihadist insurgency in Burkina Faso}}
On May 21, 2022, jihadists from Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin attacked the city of Bourzanga, Burkina Faso, but the attack was repelled by Burkinabe and French forces.
== Background == Beginning in 2019 in Arbinda and escalating in late 2021 and early 2022, jihadist groups such as Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin, Ansarul Islam, and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara began besieging Burkinabe government-controlled towns in northern and eastern Burkina Faso.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=July 2023 |title="Death was slowly creeping on us" |url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/AFR6072092023ENGLISH.pdf |access-date=September 26, 2024 |website=Amnesty International}}</ref> Jihadists from Ansarul Islam assaulted the Burkinabe base in the town of Madjoari in southern Burkina Faso on May 19, being repelled with heavy losses. The jihadists captured the town several days later, and massacred dozens of civilians fleeing.<ref name=":0" />
These sieges were ongoing in northern Burkina Faso as well, including in Toeni, Djibo, and Sebba, near Bourzanga.<ref name=":0" />
== Attack == Around 100 to 200 militants from JNIM attacked the Burkinabe military base in Bourzanga at 5am on May 21.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2022-05-21 |title=Burkina Faso: les forces armées repoussent une attaque de la base de Bourzanga |url=https://www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/20220521-burkina-faso-les-forces-arm%C3%A9es-repoussent-une-attaque-de-la-base-de-bourzanga?ref=tw_i |access-date=2024-10-03 |website=RFI |language=fr}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Burkina Faso : Barkhane intervient à la demande des autorités burkinabè |url=https://www.aa.com.tr/fr/monde/burkina-faso-barkhane-intervient-%C3%A0-la-demande-des-autorit%C3%A9s-burkinab%C3%A8/2594633 |access-date=2024-10-03 |website=www.aa.com.tr}}</ref> A Burkinabe security source told RFI that the soldiers at the base were prepared for the attack and had known about the jihadists' plan to attack the base for several days.<ref name=":1" /> Around a hundred Burkinabe soldiers and VDP were present in Bourzanga at the time of the attack.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=May 23, 2022 |title=Au #BurkinaFaso, des soldats ont repousse une attaque terroriste alors qu'ils etaient en inferiorite numerique. |url=https://x.com/RFIAfrique/status/1528646923292491776 |access-date=October 3, 2024 |website=RFI Afrique via Twitter}}</ref> The attack was repulsed by French fighter jets from Niamey and Burkinabe helicopters flying over the battlefield and bombing the jihadists.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=ZONGO |first=Daouda |date=2022-05-22 |title=Attaque de Bourzanga: la Force Barkhane vient en appui à l'armée burkinabè |url=https://www.wakatsera.com/attaque-de-bourzanga-la-force-barkhane-vient-en-appui-a-larmee-burkinabe/ |access-date=2024-10-03 |website=Wakat Séra |language=fr-FR}}</ref>
The Burkinabe general staff gave an initial toll of thirty jihadists killed, which later rose to 35 killed.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> The bodies of dozens of attackers were presented on national television following the attack.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZNIoyLFV-Q |title=Burkina Faso : 5 soldats morts dans une attaque |date=2022-05-22 |last=TV5MONDE Info |access-date=2024-10-03 |via=YouTube}}</ref> An armored vehicle, forty motorcycles, two pick-ups, and numerous weapons were captured by Burkinabe forces.<ref name=":2" /> French officials said dozens of jihadists were killed or injured, and later clarified that 45 jihadists were killed.<ref name=":3" /> Five Burkinabe soldiers were killed and ten were injured.<ref name=":1" />
== References == {{Reflist}}
Category:Battles in 2022 Category:Battles involving Burkina Faso Category:Battles involving France Category:Bourzanga Department