Ghanaian fighters cross borders into Burkina Faso’s insurge

The brutal insurgency in Burkina Faso has drawn unexpected participants from neighboring Ghana, revealing complex webs of ethnic ties, revenge motives, and economic incentives driving cross-border violence.

Three Ghanaian fighters, speaking anonymously to the BBC, described their involvement in bloody battles since 2018, citing family connections and retribution for military attacks on civilian communities as primary motivations.

The fighters paint a devastating picture of conflict, where death tolls can reach hundreds per battle and the line between combatants and civilians increasingly blurs. Their activities highlight the porous nature of West African borders and the spreading influence of jihadist groups like JNIM, an al-Qaeda affiliate.

The conflict has created a lucrative cattle-trafficking operation, with stolen livestock sold in northern Ghanaian markets, providing crucial funding for insurgent activities.

While Ghana has largely avoided direct insurgent attacks, the violence has driven thousands of refugees across its borders. The situation is particularly volatile in Bawku, where communal conflicts have claimed over 100 lives since October, with insurgents allegedly supplying weapons to rival factions.

As President Mahama’s government grapples with containing the Bawku crisis, security experts warn of the insurgency’s potential to exploit local conflicts. The fighters’ testimonies suggest the insurgency has evolved beyond religious ideology into a complex web of violence, revenge, and economic exploitation.