Crisis of Atrocities and Authoritarianism in the Central Sahel

Distr.: General | February 26, 2026 Sixty-first session | Agenda item 9

I. Introduction

1. This report examines the deteriorating human rights situation in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. As of February 2026, the Central Sahel has become the global epicenter of extremist violence, with Burkina Faso now designated as the country most affected by terrorism worldwide.

2. The mission notes that military regimes, having consolidated power via the "Alliance of Sahelian States," have pivoted toward increasingly repressive internal policies, characterized by the silencing of independent media and the forced conscription of civil society critics.

II. Findings on Massacres and Systematic Abuse

3. Escalation of Terrorism: Islamist armed groups, specifically JNIM and IS-Sahel, have intensified the use of sieges and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to cut off entire towns. In early 2026, a fuel blockade on Bamako and coordinated attacks in western Mali have left millions without access to basic food and medical supplies.

4. State-Sponsored Atrocities: Counter-terrorism operations by national armies and the "Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland" (VDP) have resulted in documented mass executions of civilians, particularly from the Peul (Fulani) ethnic group. Since January 2026, air and drone strikes have increasingly hit civilian gatherings, leading to likely war crimes.

5. Shrinking Civic Space: In Burkina Faso, the "General Mobilization" decree has been used to forcibly draft journalists and activists into frontline combat. The suspension of international broadcasters and the closure of domestic human rights groups have created a total "information black hole."

III. Legal Analysis: The Impunity Gap

6. The withdrawal of Burkina Faso and Mali from regional frameworks and the announcement of their departure from the International Criminal Court (ICC) signifies a deliberate attempt to shield military leadership from accountability for atrocity crimes.

7. These states remain bound by the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights. The systematic targeting of ethnic groups during military operations meets the legal threshold for persecution as a crime against humanity.

IV. Legal Recommendations

• Establishment of a Regional Fact-Finding Mission: The African Union should operationalize an independent mission with a mandate to preserve evidence of ethnic killings for future prosecution, regardless of ICC status.

• Reform of Civil Auxiliaries: Legally mandate the immediate suspension of the VDP program until vetting and human rights training mechanisms are established to prevent intercommunal massacres.

• Protection of Dissent: Member states should grant emergency protective status to Sahelian journalists and human rights defenders in exile, recognizing them as a group at high risk of transnational repression.

• Targeted Financing Sanctions: Implement financial monitoring on gold exports from artisanal mines in the Liptako-Gourma region to ensure proceeds are not funding either extremist groups or abusive state paramilitaries.