Burkina Faso: Sunday school teacher abducted in Soum May 20

Event

Armed militants abducted a Sunday school teacher and his wife in the village of Aribinda (Soum province) on the afternoon of Sunday, May 20 (local time). The current location of the victims remains unknown. Additional militant attacks and abductions are possible in the north of the country in the coming weeks.

Furthermore, the whereabouts of a primary school teacher abducted by the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) in the village of Nassoumbou in mid-April remain unknown.

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 travel 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.