On the night of 20 May 2025, hundreds of fighters from the al-Qaeda-linked jihadist group Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM) attacked the town of Diapaga in Burkina Faso’s eastern Tapoa province, seizing control of key facilities. The attack was the terrorists’ second major success in May, following the capture of Djibo in the northern Seno province on 13 May, highlighting the growing jihadist threat in the Sahel region.

According to local residents, the militants began the attack by advancing on government positions in the vicinity of Diapagi, quickly breaking the resistance due to their numerical superiority and surprise. After capturing military facilities, the jihadists entered the city, targeting shops, hospitals and administrative buildings. During the attack, they freed dozens of prisoners from the local prison and destroyed telecommunications equipment to prevent the authorities from calling for reinforcements and coordinating their actions. The terrorists got their hands on a significant amount of weapons, ammunition and military equipment, including armored vehicles, which increases their combat capability.

There is no exact information on the number of casualties, but local sources report dozens of deaths among the military and civilians. The governor of the Tapoa region declared a state of emergency and called on residents to leave the city. According to Reuters, the JNIM group, which has up to 2000 fighters, is known for its lightning-fast attack tactics and ability to exploit weaknesses in local security forces.

The attack on Diapagou follows an escalation of jihadist violence in Burkina Faso, where a number of terrorist groups have been active since 2015.