Dibilou massacre

On July 25, 2019, unknown jihadists attacked the village of Dibilou, Centre-Nord Region, Burkina Faso, killing 22 civilians.

Northern Burkina Faso has been a hotbed of jihadist activity since the start of the jihadist insurgency in Burkina Faso.^[1] Tensions between Mossi groups and Fulani groups after the Yirgou massacre in early 2019 led to clashes between these groups in the city of Arbinda in April.^[2] The tensions were stoked by the Fulani-majority jihadist group Ansarul Islam, which has a large presence in Soum.^[2] On June 10, an Ansarul Islam attack killed 19 civilians in the center of Arbinda.^[2] Eight days later, jihadists attacked Belehede, killing eighteen civilians.

At the time of the attack, the town of Dibilou had no government-sponsored self-defense militia.^[3] This militia had departed the town in early January.^[3] A survivor of the massacre in Dibilou stated that around 25 motorcycles, each with two men on them, entered the town at around 4:45pm on July 25. The attackers immediately began shooting at residents, with many hiding in their homes.^[3] During the attack, the perpetrators torched the market and several homes.^[3]

All of the victims were of Mossi descent, and many bodies were found in the market and in their home.^[3] Several other bodies were discovered in their farms on the outskirts of the town.^[3] 22 people were killed during the massacre.^[3]

Many residents of Dibilou and the neighboring town of Rofenega fled elsewhere following the attack, with many settling in Kaya.^[4] No group claimed responsibility for the attack.