the attack, 40 wounded and 707 households along with 12,480 teachers (4,568 of whom displaced.1 were women). The government, with the In August, a military convoy between the support of UNICEF, developed alternative towns of Arbinda and Dori, which was education models such as teaching via radio, accompanied by civilians, was ambushed by benefiting 647,081 schoolchildren during the an armed group. The attack led to the deaths year. of 65 people, including 59 civilians, RIGHT TO TRUTH, JUSTICE AND according to governmental sources. REPARATION GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE In May, the government established a new In June, the NGO Doctors Without military unit, the Special Forces, whose Borders reported a rise in sexual violence in mandate included “counterterrorism the regions affected by the conflict. operations”, among other tasks. However, a Alleged cases of sex being exchanged for statute passed in June covering its legal food aid by local NGOs facilitating IDPs’ position states that Special Forces cannot be access to humanitarian aid were documented pursued before the courts for any actions by the media in the city of Kaya, Sanmatenga taken during their operations. This immunity province, the province hosting the largest clause violates the rights of victims to justice number of IDPs in Burkina Faso. and reparation. In July, the French Council of State CHILDREN’S RIGHTS assented to the extradition of François Dozens of children were killed in attacks by Compaoré, the brother of former Burkinabe armed groups against villages and towns. president Blaise Compaoré, to Burkina Faso, UNICEF reported that at least 20 children where he was sought for incitement to were killed during the attack on the town of murder in relation to the death of Solhan in June, and hundreds were investigative journalist Norbert Zongo in displaced with their families. 1998. This decision was suspended by the Armed groups including GSIM, and the European Court of Human Rights in August, Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) pending examination of the challenge to the continued to recruit and use children to decision made by François Compaoré. participate in hostilities, in violation of In August, the first trials for terrorism-related international humanitarian law. offences were held in the Ouagadougou RIGHT TO EDUCATION Higher Court. Two members of the armed group Ansaroul Islam were sentenced to 20- Armed groups including GSIM and ISGS year prison terms for “criminal association continued to prohibit so-called “Western” linked to a terrorist enterprise”, “illegal education in Burkina Faso, while threats and possession of weapons and munitions of violence continued to deter teachers from war”, “complicity in terrorism” and “wilful remaining in their official postings. In March, destruction of property” for the attack on and 323 students were forced to flee their school destruction of a primary school in Bafina, following attacks by armed groups in the Sanmatenga province, in 2018. They were Boucle du Mouhoun region. Between 21 and also ordered to pay 4 million XOF (US$7,240) 28 June, eight schools were attacked by each in damages. armed groups in Manni department, Gnagna At the end of the year, no significant province. School materials were stolen, and progress had been made in the investigation property destroyed. into the unlawful killings of 50 people and the Since the beginning of the conflict, more enforced disappearance of 66 others than 2,682 schools had been closed. By allegedly committed by the armed group May, 304,564 students were affected by Koglweogo in the village of Yirgou, these closures (148,046 of whom were girls) Sanmatenga province, in January 2019. Amnesty International Report 2021/22 107