Burkina Faso, a landlocked West African nation, has been identified as the world's most dangerous country for terrorism for the second year in a row, according to the Global Terrorism Index compiled by Australia's Institute for Economics and Peace. The country surpasses more commonly cited danger zones such as Afghanistan, Somalia, and Iran.
Conflict and Terrorism in Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso, a former French colony that gained independence in 1960, has experienced decades of instability, including frequent coups, natural disasters, and famine. Since 2015, government forces have been engaged in a continuous struggle against Islamic extremists linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP). The country has also undergone two military coups since 2020 and 2022, leading to widespread disorder and bloodshed.
The Global Terrorism Index scores countries based on terrorism incidents, fatalities, injuries, and hostage-taking. The report found that while the number of attacks dropped by 17% between 2023 and 2024, deaths from terrorism jumped by 68%. In one single incident in August 2024, approximately 200 people died when a village was attacked by the al-Qaida-affiliated Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM).
Regional Context and Terrorist Activity
Burkina Faso is bordered by the Sahara Desert and the volatile nations of Mali and Niger to the north, and more stable countries like Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Côte d'Ivoire to the south. According to the US National Counterterrorism Centre, ISIS terrorists are operating throughout Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger in a region known as the Sahel. The centre estimates around 1,000 terrorists are active across the three countries, using ambushes, armed assaults, mortar attacks, roadside bombs, vehicle-borne explosives, and suicide bombers against local security forces, civilians, government officials, humanitarian workers, and schools.
In 2019, Canadian geologist Kirk Woodman was kidnapped and killed by terrorists after being taken from a mine exploration camp in northern Burkina Faso. Islamic State later claimed responsibility for his death.
Travel Advisory and Cultural Richness
The British Foreign Office advises against all travel to Burkina Faso. In a statement, it said: "This is due to the threat of terrorist attacks and terrorist kidnap, and the unstable political situation in the country." Despite the violence, Burkina Faso, locally known as the "Land of Honest Men," has a rich culture and natural world.
