Burkina Faso: Protests in Djibo due to insecurity April 24

Event

On Wednesday, April 25, employees of the High Court in Djibo, located in Soum province (Sahel region), ordered the closure of the local courthouse until further notice due to deteriorating security conditions in the area and a lack of adequate security measures. On a related note, students also protested throughout the city to demand the return of teachers to schools, which have been closed for several weeks due to the increased terrorist threat.

Context

Terrorism has become an increasingly serious security threat in Burkina Faso, especially in the Sahel region, since 2015. At least 80 attacks and 133 related deaths have been recorded in the area.  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.