Côte d’Ivoire: Intercommunal violence in southwest remains a risk

Event

Intercommunal violence over land disputes erupted between local members of the Guere ethnic group and the Baoule communities in the city of Guiglo (Cavally region) between October 2-3. Several buildings were reportedly set on fire during the clashes, prompting more than 1500 local residents to flee the area. At least two people were killed and several others injured during the unrest.  Additional security forces were deployed to the city to restore calm. The incident underlines the southwestern region’s generally poor security conditions.

Context

Following the 2010-2011 post-electoral crisis, the Guere fled the area and their plantations. After the Guere left the region, the plantations were occupied by members of Baoulé community. Clashes between the two ethnic groups have broken out after the Guere started to return to take back control of the plantations. Tensions have increased in the area since September 2017 over land disputes.

Due to tensions between ethnic groups and occasional outbreaks of deadly violence, some Western governments advise against nonessential travel to the southwestern regions (Cavally, Bas-Sassandra, Haut-Sassandra, Dix-Huit Montagnes regions).

Advice

Travelers to the southwestern parts of the country are advised to remain vigilant at all times, avoid all gatherings, and obey all instructions issued by the local authorities.

On a more general note, some Western governments advise against nonessential travel to the border region with Liberia due to the presence of transnational armed groups that formed, in part, during the Ivorian and Liberian civil wars. This zone includes the cities of Tabou, Taï, and Grabo, in which the military was targeted and attacked by armed men in mid-January 2015.