Source : Sahel weather July & august 2024 

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At the close of the Council of Ministers meeting on August 21, 2024, the transitional government decided to return to the country's motto from the time of Thomas Sankara: "La patrie ou la mort, nous vaincrons" ("Fatherland or death, we shall overcome"). This reflects the sovereignist vision of Captain Traoré and his supporters, who have expressed the need to "strengthen patriotic sentiment" and "revive the flame of civic commitment". 

Meanwhile, extremist groups continue to sow terror. On August 24, some 300 people were killed in the Sanmatenga province, in what was described as "the most devastating terrorist attack ever perpetrated in Burkina Faso". The deadly attack plunged the area into deep turmoil, heightening people's concerns about the jihadist threat. The UN Security Council condemned the attack, which was claimed by the JNIM, a wing of al-Qaeda present in the Liptako-Gourma area and attempting to conquer more and more territory. 

Prior to this event, another terrorist attack was recorded in the east of the country on August 8 near Diapaga. The ambush killed at least 100 soldiers. These recurrent attacks call for a renewed effort on the part of both the state and local populations. The government, for its part, has for some time been in a position to get to the bottom of the problem. The Minister of Defense has stated that the State is now in control of 69% of Burkina Faso's territory, a great leap forward compared with 2022, when 60% of the territory was under the control of jihadist groups.

At the same time, the regime is taking an authoritarian stance in the fight against terrorism, especially as something unprecedented has taken place in the land of men of integrity. It has been reported that magistrates have been requisitioned by the army to combat the terrorism that is destabilizing Burkina Faso. However, this decision is not welcomed by many observers and civil society players, who see it as a serious attack on the independence of the judiciary. For example, the "Servir et Non se Servir" movement has denounced what it describes as arbitrary and punitive forced conscription, which sets a dangerous precedent for the country. In the same vein, members of the country's magistrates' union denounced this act as both humiliation and intimidation, and at the same time expressed concern about the future of justice under the current regime.

On the other hand, speculation is mounting about the duration of the transition. For many observers, the time has not yet come to organize elections to hand over power to civilians. Following the conclusions of the Ouagadougou National Conferences, boycotted by most opposition parties, the head of the transition will lead the country for a further 5 yearsfrom July 2, 2024. This extension has sparked controversy among politicians and the general public, who continue to believe that Captain Traoré is determined to stay in power despite the directives of the Transition Charter. The junta authorities are accused by a certain civil society of having extended the transition without first evaluating it.