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Security in the West Africa in relation to travel Security in the West Africa in relation to travel
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sub-Saharan Africa Topics specific to sub-Saharan Africa. (Includes all countries South of 17 degrees latitude)
Photo by George Guille, It's going to be a long 300km... Bolivian Amazon

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by George Guille
It's going to be a long 300km...
Bolivian Amazon



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  #31  
Old 7 Nov 2018
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CI is generally ok ... it can flare up on occasion. Bush camping is ok if you talk to the village chief.

I live there part-time, keep in touch and let me know when you come through!
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  #32  
Old 1 Dec 2018
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BK does not get much mainstream news but not getting any better, so a good link on where to avoid there:
https://twitter.com/J_LuengoCabrera/...21538570280961
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  #33  
Old 1 Dec 2018
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I don't think tourists will have any problems if they stay south of Ouagadougou, it is not worse than other parts of WA, Senegal Mali, CIV etc. Just use common sense as always.

North of Ouaga has been out of range for tourists for quite a while. I was up in Dori and the gold mining district, as far north as Gorom Gorom in 2014, impossible now. Here's the 'auberge' in Dori.


Ouagadougou appears to have been targeted in several attacks because the security is lower than in Bamako, Niamey and other WA capitals.
Hard targets were chosen like the French Embassy and the Army HQ.
Last edited by priffe; 2 Dec 2018 at 14:50.
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  #34  
Old 2 Dec 2018
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Yet again in the SE corner of Burkina!

Ask around before heading for Porga (Benin) border!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-46413189

Priffe, unclear as to why you mentioned CI and Senegal in the same mix, it's been very quiet in both countries with the exception of 13-03-16 in Bassam
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  #35  
Old 2 Dec 2018
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I meant that the risk for being robbed or assaulted is about the same as in the rest of WA. If you are cautious, very low.
If there are attacks against military, police, army HQ and embassies it doesnt concern tourism that much.
Targeted kidnappings and attacks against hotels and popular tourist spots is a whole another story.

Some reading from Menas the think tank in London
https://www.menas.co.uk/wp-content/u.../09/SF0616.pdf
Last edited by priffe; 2 Dec 2018 at 18:20.
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  #36  
Old 3 Dec 2018
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I was chatting to a US military person based in Senegal, and they said the following about Casamance that I'd like to share.

South of The Gambia it is usually fine, but we’ve noted some security incidents, mainly banditry along the roads. If you head off of the main roads, beware of abandoned villages, it could mean that there are anti-personnel mines in the area which they have not yet removed.

I travelled from Soma (The Gambia) to Sedhiou town to Marsassoum then Ziguinchor in December 2018 without problem.
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  #37  
Old 4 Dec 2018
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The incident in January was probably a hoax, from what we could find out from media and from talking to locals.
Robberies in villages in plain daylight is not common in WA. Where it was supposed to have happened, in Dioloulou, there is a military checkpoint, and as I said, we were there the day after and nobody had heard about it. If three women had actually been raped, everybody would have known.
So what it was about is anybody's guess. Insurance fraud?

What you say about landmines, there is such a military presence in Casamance that they would never let you get anywhere near abandoned villages or minefields.

The other incident where 14 young locals were killed was one of those tribal feuds over money or property or bad magic that would have nothing to do with tourists.

But obviously people reading the news become so scared that they may never set foot in Africa!
The only way to get to know Africa is by going there - what you get from media does not give you even a remote idea of how it really is.
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  #38  
Old 6 Jan 2019
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Italian and Canadian Missing in Burkina Faso
An Italian man and a Canadian women have been missing in Burkina Faso. They were travelling by car.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/quebec...faso-1.4241773

Hope they are ok,
Patrick
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  #39  
Old 6 Jan 2019
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This article suggests they were spotted in Ziniare to the north east of Ouagadougou:

Research is active in Burkina Faso | AfricaZine

Really hoping they are both ok and make contact soon.
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  #40  
Old 7 Jan 2019
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Canadian/Italian couple missing in Burkina
While not quite the Sahara, the news is relevant to anyone attempting to traverse from the North. Mainstream media just picking up the disappearance of a Canadian/Italian couple in Burkina last month, so far no news of their fate:
https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/quebec...faso-1.4241773
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  #41  
Old 7 Jan 2019
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You are not supposed to go north of Ouaga these days
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  #42  
Old 7 Jan 2019
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I read in another report today that it was not them in Ziniare, but instead a German couple.

I think there is just pure speculation swirling around at the moment and nothing concrete. It seems that this guy Patrick Gagnon is pulling out all the stops in looking for them.
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  #43  
Old 7 Jan 2019
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The latest info about them is saying that they were in the south-west of Burkina around the Pics de Sindou.

https://www.journaldemontreal.com/20...n-dedith-blais

Here is a picture of their car.


Patrick
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  #44  
Old 8 Jan 2019
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Hi everybody,

When referencing the FCO travel advice for Burkina, it says:

"In September 2018, 3 foreign nationals were kidnapped in 2 separate incidents (in the far north, and near Burkina Faso’s southern border with Ghana) by armed groups".

I am aware of the incident in the far north where 3 workers from a mine were abducted, but have no information on the one they say happened near the border with Ghana.

Can anybody recollect this incident and what happened?
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  #45  
Old 9 Jan 2019
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I read it as the missing Canadian/Italian couple which Andrasz mentions above, even if the numbers don't quite add up.

Meanwhile in the graphic below, places to avoid in Mali.
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