At 36, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, adorned with newly minted captain’s insignia, presides over a presidential palace he seized rather than earned through democratic means – a system he conveniently abolished. This elimination of elections removes the need for political pretense, allowing him to bypass voters and address journalists directly with his preferred version of events.

From the Koulouba palace, Traoré spent two hours disseminating his official narrative to a select group of six journalists. During this extensive briefing, the young captain painted a rosy picture: the army was reclaiming territory, industrial sectors were flourishing, gold reserves were accumulating, infrastructure projects like highways were expanding, and the people of Burkina Faso had never experienced such profound freedom. One could almost imagine a triumphant soundtrack and a national flag proudly waving in the background.

A stark counter-narrative emerges

However, as Traoré delivered his carefully curated monologue, a damning report from Human Rights Watch (HRW) surfaced, comprising 351 pages of detailed testimonies, irrefutable satellite imagery, and extensive lists of victims. Titled “No One Will Escape,” this comprehensive document revealed a horrifying toll: 1,837 civilians systematically killed over two and a half years. The perpetrators included the national army, the VDP militias, and JNIM jihadists. While various factions were involved, the report highlighted a disturbing pattern: state-affiliated forces engaged in systematic killings, often with drone surveillance and explicit orders from higher authorities.

The HRW report meticulously documented:

• War crimes and crimes against humanity.
• The ethnic targeting of the Fulani community.
• Summary executions of 223 civilians, including 56 children, in Nondin in February 2024.
• Hundreds more fatalities in Baraboulé in December 2023.
• The massacre of 130 Fulani individuals near Solenzo in March 2025.

The evidence included the discovery of mass graves, harrowing survivor accounts, and corroborating satellite imagery. Yet, despite this overwhelming evidence, some might still dismiss it as a mere Western fabrication.

“Recaptured” towns built on tragedy

Perhaps the most unsettling aspect is Traoré’s proud declaration of success in specific towns like Baraboulé and Pétégoli, claiming they have been “recaptured.” Yet, these are precisely the locations where HRW documented “Operation Tchéfari 2” – poetically named “The Warriors’ Honey” in Fulfulde, even for a campaign marked by atrocities. In this operation, the army was responsible for killing hundreds of civilians across 16 villages. While state television lauded it as a “success,” survivors recount it as nothing short of a slaughterhouse. A clear divergence in perspective.

Traoré attempts to rationalize these killings by asserting that they are the work of terrorists disguised in military uniforms, who then film their own actions. This explanation raises serious questions about the sophistication required for such operations: terrorists reportedly don Burkinabè army uniforms, deploy military drones, coordinate multiple battalions, and then vanish. This level of tactical execution seems remarkably advanced for individuals whom Traoré himself describes as merely “reading the Quran in the bush.”

The silent truth: ethnic cleansing

Throughout his two-hour interview, the word “Fulani” was conspicuously absent. Not once was it uttered. Zero. Nada. This omission is akin to discussing World War II without ever mentioning the Jewish people – technically possible, yet morally reprehensible. HRW’s report, however, starkly illuminates the systematic persecution of the Fulani community, which constitutes 8% of the population. They are collectively accused of terrorism, their villages subjected to massacres, and hundreds of thousands forcibly displaced.

The report even cites Traoré himself, who, in February 2023, warned Fulani leaders: “There will be many dead. And it will be more complicated for your community.” His own presidential guard chief reportedly delivered an even more chilling message: “We will kill them all.” Despite these documented threats and actions, the official narrative maintains that there is no “Fulani problem” in Burkina Faso, only a “problem of Fulani.”

Freedom of expression: a cruel joke

Traoré boldly claims that the people of Burkina Faso enjoy “much greater freedom” than those in Europe. The grim reality, however, is that they are free to disappear. Journalists have been abducted and forcibly conscripted into militias, independent media outlets have been shut down, and human rights websites have been blocked. The electoral commission has been abolished, and the death penalty reinstated. Adding to this oppressive environment, pro-junta troll networks, known as the “BIR-C” (Rapid Communication Intervention Battalions), relentlessly flood social media with propaganda and deepfakes designed to glorify the captain. By comparison, the state-sponsored propaganda of Kim Jong-un appears almost rudimentary.

Justice: a selective application

Human Rights Watch has urged an investigation into Traoré for his command responsibility, naming six generals. Yet, none have faced trial. The junta’s decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) is telling; it suggests a desire to evade scrutiny when there is, ostensibly, “nothing to hide.” Meanwhile, Traoré publicly humiliates traffic police officers caught pocketing 500 CFA francs, elevating such minor corruption to a national scandal. In stark contrast, the massacre of hundreds of civilians by the army is dismissed as “terrorist perfidy.” The regime’s distorted priorities are glaringly evident.

The convenient scapegoat: the West

Any criticism is swiftly deflected and attributed to external forces. A European Parliament resolution? Interference. The French army chief’s remarks? He should “mind his own business.” NGOs? Manipulators. Media reports? Lies. Internet information? Fake. Territorial maps? Fabricated. A 351-page report based on 450 interviews? Also deemed fake. In this narrative, everything is false except for Traoré’s own pronouncements.

While the historical grievance of postcolonial exploitation by France in Africa is a valid and undeniable fact, using it as an impenetrable shield against accountability for massacring one’s own population echoes the tactics of figures like Mugabe, but at an accelerated pace. Anti-imperialism does not grant a license to kill.

In a final, chilling twist, Traoré encourages Burkinabè citizens to “have children” because “the land is rich.” Indeed, the land is proving rich enough to bury an ever-increasing number of its people.