Burkina Faso’s Rapid Intervention Battalion 24 said it killed at least 50 militants from Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) on 10 Aug 2025 after the al-Qaeda-linked group attempted to storm a military base in Kantchari, near the border with Niger. The army described the engagement as a major victory that forced the attackers to retreat. Hours later, JNIM claimed it had overrun a separate base in Soudougui, about 250 km south-west of Kantchari, asserting it had taken control of the facility during an early-morning raid. The group also released images purporting to show captured Burkinabè soldiers in the Foutouri area of neighbouring Komondjari Province. The government has not confirmed the status of the Soudougui installation or the reported prisoners. The twin incidents underscore the shifting security landscape in eastern Burkina Faso, where jihadist groups allied to al-Qaeda and Islamic State are competing for territory despite intensified counter-insurgency operations by the junta-led government.