The central-eastern region of Burkina Faso is once again in mourning. On Wednesday, April 22, at the first light of dawn, the military base of Bagmoussa (Koulpelogo province) was the target of a very violent attack.

A critical human and material assessment

According to security sources confirmed this Friday, April 24, the attack claimed the lives of at least 28 people , including soldiers from the regular army and members of the Volunteers for the Defence of the Homeland (VDP).

1. Missing persons: Several fighters are still missing.
2. Destruction: The base was looted and set on fire.
3. Civil impact: The village of Bagmoussa was not spared; shops were vandalized and livestock was taken by the attackers.

A foreseeable threat?

Located in the commune of Soudougui, near the Togolese border, the area was highly tense. Residents reported several incursions by armed men in recent weeks. A sense of bitterness prevails among the locals, who lament that these warnings failed to prevent the massacre.

The government's response: towards a massive mobilization

While the government, meeting in a cabinet meeting in Bobo-Dioulasso this Friday, remained silent on the details of the attack, it did, however, approve a major legislative measure to strengthen defense forces.

Creation of a military reserve

The government has adopted a draft bill aimed at structuring a military reserve . The objectives are ambitious:

1. Recruitment: Training of 100,000 reservists by the end of 2026.
2. Objective: To have a pool of citizens fit for combat and "immediately mobilizable" to face the growing terrorist threat.