Burkina Faso: IS claims responsibility for abduction and killing /update 1

Event

On Tuesday, April 17, militants from the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) claimed responsibility for the abduction of a school teacher in Nassoumbou (Soum province, Sahel region; north) perpetrated on April 12, as well as for the killing of the mayor of the village of Koutougou (Soum province) on April 8. According to ISGS, the teacher was abducted for speaking French and the mayor was killed for being an ally of the Burkinabe government. Additional militant attacks are possible in northern Burkina Faso in the coming weeks.

Context

The ISGS has its stronghold along the Mali-Burkina Faso border.

Terrorism has become an increasingly serious security threat in Burkina Faso, especially in the Sahel region. Attacks are usually attributed to Ansarul Islam and other groups affiliated with Al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). Meanwhile, rates of criminal violence - much of which is interlinked with terrorist activity - have also recently increased.

Advice

Several Western governments advise against all travel to areas of the northern Sahel region, particularly areas within 40 km (25 mi) of the Malian border. Professional security advice and support should be sought prior to traveling to such areas. More generally, individuals across the country are advised to avoid public events and places frequented by Westerners due to the latent risk of terrorist activity and to report any suspicious objects or behavior to the authorities.