~300 JNIM Fighters Encircle and Attack Diabou, Gourma Province, Burkina Faso — 2 Killed, Cattle Looted

On May 14, 2026, approximately 300 JNIM militants attacked the vicinity of Diabou, a town in Burkina Faso's eastern Gourma Province. At least 2 civilians were killed and several others injured in the assault. Two farm plots were looted and destroyed, and dozens of cattle were seized — part of the economic warfare dimension of JNIM's multi-province offensive campaign. JNIM fighters have been encircling multiple villages in the Gourma area, forcing residents to flee their homes. The attack on Diabou follows the devastating JNIM operations at Djibo (May 11, Sahel Region, 100–200+ killed) and Diapaga (May 12–13, Est Region, 50+ killed), demonstrating the insurgency's continued high operational tempo across Burkina Faso's eastern and southeastern regions. Gourma Province shares a border with Niger and is a key corridor for JNIM's eastward and southward expansion, connecting to the tri-border Liptako-Gourma operational zone. The large force concentration (300 fighters) is consistent with JNIM's shift from smaller cell-based attacks to battalion-scale operations observed since early 2026. Burkinabè Armed Forces (FAB) have not issued a formal response statement as of May 15, 2026.