Burkina Faso and the Central African Republic are experiencing significant instability marked by escalating violence and humanitarian crises, though each faces unique internal dynamics and no direct recent military confrontation has been reported between the two nations.
In Burkina Faso, violence reached alarming levels in 2024–2025 due to repeated attacks by Islamist armed groups and retaliatory operations by state forces. An estimated 6,000 civilians died in conflict-related violence between January and August 2024, with over 2.3 million people forced from their homes by August of that year. The military junta, which seized power in 2022, delayed democratic elections and further curtailed human rights and civic space. In 2025, the junta, joined by Mali and Niger, formally withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and established the Confederation of the Sahel States. Meanwhile, insurgent groups such as the Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP) and al-Qaeda affiliate JNIM have increased attacks, strategically targeting supply convoys and isolating government-controlled towns in northern and eastern regions, fueling further displacement and insecurity[3][4][5].
The Central African Republic has seen a sharp surge in violence, particularly following the breakdown of an alliance between the Azande Ani Kpi Gbe militia and the Central African Armed Forces (FACA) as well as Russian Wagner mercenaries. In June 2025, this split led to a >40% increase in violent incidents in Haut-Mbomou. The Azande Ani Kpi Gbe, formerly an ally against other armed groups, accused the government of broken promises regarding military integration and resented agreements that allowed Fulani communities to settle in contested areas. These tensions, exacerbated by disappointing government negotiations, have deepened militia violence and instability in the southeast[2].
No direct interstate conflict or armed confrontation between Burkina Faso and the Central African Republic has surfaced in the latest news. However, both countries remain deeply affected by violent insurgencies and face deteriorating humanitarian situations, mass displacement, and regional fragmentation.