Burkina Faso - Tapoa on the Verge of Security Collapse

November 30, 2025 - The security situation in the province of Tapoa has reached an alarming breaking point, with local sources reporting that more than 95% of the territory is now under the control of armed groups. The Burkinabe army maintains only a minimal presence in three localities - including Diapaga - and even there, its hold is described as extremely fragile.

The town of Diapaga has been attacked repeatedly in recent weeks. The military detachment has been overwhelmed, civilians and security personnel killed, and shops and warehouses looted. Videos filmed and circulated by the assailants themselves illustrate the extent of state erosion in the area. In Kantchari and Partiaga, the situation is equally dire: although military outposts remain, soldiers reportedly avoid venturing more than one kilometer from their bases due to the constant threat of ambushes.

Patrols have been reduced to cautious movements within city centers, with no real capacity for wider deployment. Meanwhile, armed groups are imposing - without resistance - a form of mandatory levy, described by residents as a “zakat” of 50,000 FCFA per inhabitant across the province. This practice underscores the extent of their administrative and coercive control.

The humanitarian situation is deteriorating just as rapidly. Only the primary healthcare centers (CSPS) in Diapaga and Kantchari remain functional, and even these operate with severely limited resources. All other health facilities in Tapoa are closed. Mortality rates are rising, particularly among pregnant women and children, due to the collapse of essential medical services.

The portrait emerging from Tapoa is that of an isolated, exhausted province on the brink of total breakdown. A massive and coordinated intervention is urgently needed to prevent the complete security and humanitarian collapse of the region.