Americans leave north Burkina Faso



On July 1, the US State Department issued a warning that Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) was planning to kidnap an American in the north of Burkina Faso. Americans working in areas near the Mali border were evacuated in vehicles organised by the embassy on July 3, a Burkinabe security source said.

Americans leave north Burkina Faso

Americans leave north Burkina Faso

Americans working in northern regions of Burkina Faso have been evacuated to the capital Ouagadougou following a terrorism warning, a US embassy source in Ouagadougou said. "There was information on a possible terror threat. As a precautionary measure, we chose to withdraw persons in northern areas," the sourcesaid, without giving numbers involved. On July 1, the US State Department issued a warning that Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) was planning to kidnap an American in the north of Burkina Faso. Americans working in areas near the Mali border were evacuated in vehicles organised by the embassy on July 3, a Burkinabe security source said.

There are around 250 Peace Corps volunteers in the West African country. AQIM is active in the region, and the group is currently holding two Spaniards and a Frenchman as hostages.

Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: July, 2010; Peace Corps Burkina Faso; Directory of Burkina Faso RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Burkina Faso RPCVs; Safety and Security of Volunteers; Evacuation

When this story was posted in July 2010, this was on the front page of PCOL:




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