Burkina Faso: Armed men attack two villages in center-north May 2

Event

Suspected Islamist militants set fire to a school in Bafina and ransacked a market in the nearby village of Guenbila, in the Center-North region, on Wednesday, May 2. No casualties have been reported.  Additional attacks on local officials and security forces are possible in the coming days.

Context

The Center-North region is located near the restive Sahel region.

Terrorism has become an increasingly serious security threat in Burkina Faso, especially in the northern Sahel region, since 2015. Over 80 attacks and more than 130 related deaths have been recorded in the area. Educational institutions are particularly targeted; around 200 schools have been forced to close due to the insurgency. 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 in Burkina Faso, 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.