On July 25, 2024, the Burkina Faso military condemned recent accusations of corpse mutilations following the circulation of disturbing videos on social media. The army denounced these "macabre actions," which allegedly involved individuals identified as members of the Forces de Défense et de Sécurité (FDS) and Volontaires pour la Défense de la Patrie (VDP). The military stressed that these actions are contrary to their values and rules of engagement in the fight against terrorism. They have pledged to investigate and identify the sources of these images and their perpetrators.
Similar accusations have been directed at the Malian military, which has also condemned a video showing what appeared to be acts of extreme cruelty. Both Burkina Faso and Mali, under military regimes, face severe jihadist violence, with Burkina Faso experiencing significant casualties and displacement since 2015.