Sourou region: Life has resumed in the commune of Sagan, in the Sourou Region, thanks to the fighting forces, after two years of forced exile of the population due to terrorism. They express their pride in having returned to their native land. AIB observation on Friday, September 19, 2025.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the villages of Conan, Sipani, and Pioni in Nayala province have been recaptured by the Burkinabe Combat Forces. As we pass through, they look proud. Life has indeed resumed there, two years after the forced departure of residents harassed by terrorists.
The passage of carts laden with tables and benches towards H´ (fictitious name) indicates that the primary school is preparing to welcome students. Women, baskets on their heads, descend "the Guefutiin," the black hill, by bicycle to reach the market. Further on, a shepherd whistles behind three donkeys, while children watch over goats near the rice field in ear. Their classmates bathe in the backwater.
In Conan, the 75 hectares of rice-growing lowlands bear witness to a promising season and the rebirth of the locality since the resettlement of the population, which took place on March 3, 2025. At each checkpoint, the fighters of the 23rd Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR) salute with pride.
Women, machetes in hand and axes on their backs, greet travelers with genuine smiles. Fear has visibly given way to serenity and enthusiasm. The road now offers a wide, unobstructed view, the trees having been pruned to facilitate traffic and increase safety.
The villages of Sipani and Pioni present a similar picture. White sorghum is in the cob, and corn harvests have already begun in some fields.
Upon arrival in Sagan, the locals are quietly going about their business. In the alleys, children are playing ball, shopkeepers have reopened their shops and stalls, while farmers are roasting corn under the neem trees.
In the great mosque under construction, Imam Ali Sanogo, son of Imam Abou, stated after Friday prayers that "thanks to BIR 23 and Captain Ibrahim Traore, we can enter and leave without escort. We no longer believed it, but God has answered our prayers," he rejoiced.
The land chief, Drabo Couba, recounts with emotion: "Sagan had become a forest. Tall grass had invaded the entire area and the leaves of the trees almost touched the ground. A desolation that would make even a wise man cry. But today, we are proud to have found our native land again. We thank the President of Faso, the FDS, and all those who gave their lives so that we are here."
For Madou Ki, an internally displaced person in Dedougou, "people can now walk freely in Sagan and sleep peacefully. I was able to build a courtyard in Dedougou worth more than three million CFA francs. But I prefer my native Sagan. We don't want another President; the one here is for life," he said.
Toe Alimata, nicknamed "IB's mother," also expressed her relief: "The arrival of Captain Ibrahim Traore facilitated our return. If it weren't for him, we wouldn't be in Sagan today. I pray for him, for his soldiers, and for the government."
Despite the bustle and excitement, the town still bears the scars of the attacks: destroyed shops, vandalized streetlights, and stolen batteries. The next challenges remain restoring electricity and reopening the Sagan-Dedougou road. On these points, the residents maintain an unwavering faith.