2021 Markoye Department attacks
{{Infobox battle
| conflict = 2021 Markoye Department attacks
| place = Dambam, Guevara, Tokabangou, Badnoogo, Bassian, Gadba, Markoye Department, Oudalan Province, Burkina Faso
| partof = Jihadist insurgency in Burkina Faso
| date = August 4, 2021
| result = Indecisive
| combatant1 = {{flagdeco|Burkina Faso}} Burkina Faso
| combatant2 = {{flagdeco|ISIS}} Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (suspected)
| casualties1 = 19 killed
| casualties2 = 10+ killed
| casualties3 = 11 civilians killed
}}
{{Campaignbox Jihadist insurgency in Burkina Faso}}
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.
Background
Markoye Department is located in Oudalan Province, the northernmost part of Burkina Faso and on the borders of Niger and Mali. Since 2015, north and northeastern Burkina Faso has been embroiled in an insurgency by the Mali-based Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin, the Niger-based Islamic State in the Greater Sahara, and the homegrown Burkinabe Ansarul Islam. In the neighboring Séno Province, eighteen people were killed in the Yattakou massacre in April 2021.{{Cite web |date=2021-04-29 |title=18 people killed in north Burkina Faso attack |url=https://apnews.com/article/ouagadougou-africa-burkina-faso-e14b8df6f32dfb560c3ba7149d373143 |access-date=2024-09-17 |website=AP News |language=en}} In February 2021, eight people were killed and nine were injured in an ambush on a civilian convoy between Markoye and Tokabangou.{{Cite web |date=2021-02-19 |title=Une attaque fait 8 morts dans le Nord du Faso |url=https://www.voaafrique.com/a/une-attaque-fait-8-morts-dans-le-nord-du-faso/5784631.html |access-date=2024-09-17 |website=Voice of America |language=fr}}
Attacks
The jihadists launched several attacks against villages in Markoye department at around noon on August 4, 2021.{{Cite web |last=B24 |first=Rédaction |date=2021-08-05 |title=Burkina Faso : Plus d’une dizaine de terroristes neutralisés dans l’Oudalan |url=https://burkina24.com/2021/08/05/burkina-faso-plus-dune-dizaine-de-terroristes-neutralises-dans-loudalan/ |access-date=2024-09-17 |website=Burkina24.com - Actualité du Burkina Faso 24h/24 |language=fr-FR}} The villages of Dambam, Guevara, and Tokabangou, all of which are located ten kilometers from the department capital of Markoye, were attacked, along with the villages of Badnoogo, Bassian, and Gadba.{{Cite news |last=BAILY |first=Armel |date=2021-08-05 |title=Burkina Faso: Nouvelles attaques islamistes au Sahel : 30 morts |url=https://www.lapresse.ca/international/afrique/2021-08-05/burkina-faso/nouvelles-attaques-islamistes-au-sahel-30-morts.php |access-date=2024-09-17 |work=La Presse |language=fr-CA}}{{Cite web |title=At least 30 killed in attacks across northern Burkina Faso |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/5/30-killed-in-attacks-in-burkina-faso-official-toll |access-date=2024-09-17 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}} The attackers stole livestock and raided and torched homes.{{Cite web |date=2021-08-05 |title=Burkina Faso : une dizaine de civils et des militaires tués dans plusieurs attaques |url=https://www.france24.com/fr/afrique/20210805-burkina-faso-une-dizaine-de-civils-et-des-militaires-tu%C3%A9s-dans-plusieurs-attaques |access-date=2024-09-17 |website=France 24 |language=fr}}
Pro-government Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland (VDP) militants based at the Burkinabe garrison in Markoye were dispatched to combat the attacks, but were ambushed near Tokabangou. On August 5, the Burkinabe Ministry of Defense stated that the area that was attacked was under government control, and that government forces had launched a counteroffensive to find the perpetrators.{{Cite web |last=INFOWAKAT |date=2021-08-05 |title=Infowakat - Sahel : au moins une dizaine de terroristes neutralisés à Markoye |url=https://infowakat.net/sahel-au-moins-une-dizaine-de-terroristes-neutralises-a-markoye/ |access-date=2024-09-17 |website=Infowakat |language=fr-FR}}
Aftermath
The Burkinabe Ministry of Defense stated that fifteen Burkinabe soldiers, four VDP militiamen, and eleven civilians were killed in the attacks throughout the department. Burkinabe officials and RFI stated that at least ten jihadists were killed or injured during the attack.{{Cite web |date=2021-08-05 |title=Burkina: une dizaine de civils tués dans plusieurs attaques dans le nord |url=https://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/index2.php?url=https://www.rfi.fr/fr/en-bref/20210805-burkina-une-dizaine-de-civils-tu%25C3%25A9s-dans-plusieurs-attaques-dans-le-nord#federation=archive.wikiwix.com&tab=url |access-date=2024-09-17 |website=RFI |language=fr}} A fifth VDP militiamen was killed in a jihadist attack that same day in Pensa, Centre-Nord Region. The attacks were the deadliest day for the Burkinabe government since the Solhan and Tadaryat massacres in June 2021.
The Burkinabe Chief of Staff Moise Miningou visited Markoye on August 7 and spoke to the survivors.{{Cite web |last=B24 |first=Rédaction |date=2021-08-08 |title=Détachement de Markoye : Le Général Miningou félicite et encourage les « Boys » |url=https://burkina24.com/2021/08/08/detachement-de-markoye-le-general-miningou-felicite-et-encourage-les-boys/ |access-date=2024-09-17 |website=Burkina24.com - Actualité du Burkina Faso 24h/24 |language=fr-FR}} The fallen soldiers were buried in the Dori Military Cemetery in Dori on August 8, with their funerals being attended by various high-ranking military officials.{{Cite web |last=B24 |first=Rédaction |date=2021-08-09 |title=Dori : Les militaires tombés à Markoye ont été inhumés |url=https://burkina24.com/2021/08/09/dori-les-militaires-tombes-a-markoye-ont-ete-inhumes/ |access-date=2024-09-17 |website=Burkina24.com - Actualité du Burkina Faso 24h/24 |language=fr-FR}}
On November 1, 2021, ten civilians were killed in an attack between Dambam and Markoye by jihadists.{{Cite web |title=Burkina Faso: Jihadists continue to attack, kill and abduct civilians |url=https://www.opendoors.org/en-US/research-reports/articles/stories/burkina-faso-jihadists-continue-to-attack-kill-and-abduct-civilians/ |access-date=2024-09-17 |website=www.opendoors.org |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=INFOWAKAT |date=2021-11-01 |title=Infowakat - Oudalan : au moins 10 forains tués par des individus armés |url=https://infowakat.net/oudalan-au-moins-10-forains-tues-par-des-individus-armes/ |access-date=2024-09-17 |website=Infowakat |language=fr-FR}}