Burkina Faso’s junta has called on citizens to report suspicious neighbours and activities in the interest of national security, as the Sahel nation continues to fight a nearly decade-long jihadist insurgency.
Over the past year, groups affiliated with both Islamic State and al-Qaeda have been responsible for the deaths of numerous people in the region.
“The Minister of Security … reiterates his call for increased vigilance from the valiant populations of Burkina Faso and urges them to report any suspicious individual, movement or object,” the security ministry said in a statement on Thursday.
The junta cautioned citizens against parking for extended periods near “sensitive sites,” photographing “installations,” or sharing information like security force positions, locations, or strategic routes that could aid a terrorist attack, Reuters reported.
Additionally, it urged people to avoid renting out cars or houses without thoroughly vetting the lessees.
Burkina Faso’s military leaders, who came to power in a 2022 coup, have faced criticism from rights groups for some of the measures they’ve implemented under the guise of national security.
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch (HRW) have accused the junta of kidnapping and forcibly conscripting some of its critics, based on testimonies from victims and civil society groups.
Insecurity in the sahel
Burkina Faso, along with its junta-led neighbours Mali and Niger, is grappling with a jihadist insurgency that has spread across the Sahel region since it began in Mali 12 years ago.
Last September, the triumvirate established the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) to wipe the scourge of jihadist violence from their countries and build a new economic alliance that will reshape West Africa.
