Nearly 200 people dead: What’s behind armed attacks in Burkina Faso?

With half the country not under government control, al-Qaeda affiliate JNIM is increasingly targeting civilians.

Around 200 people have been killed and 140 injured in the Burkinabe town of Barsalogho, the latest in a long line of deadly attacks by an al-Qaeda-linked armed group, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM).

Women and children were among those killed on Saturday. Barsalogho lies near the town of Kaya, a strategic point in north-central Burkina Faso that houses the last standing military force between JNIM fighters and the capital, Ouagadougou. Several soldiers are missing after the attack, which was carried out as JNIM continues to advance and seize swaths of territory in the troubled West African country.

Here’s what you need to know about the attacks in Burkina Faso, JNIM, and how the ruling military government has fared in fighting the group.

By Friday, Burkina Faso’s military government was aware of the probability of an impending attack, according to Al Jazeera correspondent Nicolas Haque. Authorities then called on the general population to assist the military in digging trenches meant to serve as a protective barrier and stop the invading fighters from entering the town.

According to local news reports, some people had initially opposed the action, fearful of reprisal attacks by armed groups. It is common for civilians to be attacked by either armed groups or the military if they are perceived to be helping the opposing side.