Terrorism in Burkina Faso

The risk of terrorist attacks in Burkina Faso over the past years can be classified as almost insignificant. Compared to other countries here are only quite a few incedents. Over the past 5 years a total number of 14 terrorist incidents has been recorded, in which 47 people have been killed and 48 injured.

In 4 incedents a total of 130 people have been kidnapped or taken as hostage, though a ransom was rarely (1 times) extorted.

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Most frequent attack targets in Burkina Faso

(2012 to 2016)

Target	Attacks	Killed	Injured	Hostages
Police	6	9	11	2
Business	5	35	36	127
Private citizens	5	36	35	128
Government	1	1	0	0
Journalists & Media	1	0	1	0

Most affected regions

(2012 to 2016)

Region	Attacks	Killed	Injured	Hostages
Sahel	5	6	6	2
Centre	3	34	33	126
Oudalan	2	1	3	1
Kadiogo	1	1	0	0
Sanmatenga	1	0	1	0
Kenedougou	1	4	4	1

Terrorist organisations in Burkina Faso

Organisation	Attacks	Killed	Injured	Hostages
Al-Qaida	4	34	33	128
Boko Haram	1	1	1	0
Muslim extremists	1	3	0	0
Islamic State	1	1	2	0

All information sourced from the "National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism" (START) and its Global Terrorism Database. An act of terrorism is concidered every incident which is aimed at attaining a political, economic, religious, or social goal, but not for pure profit motives. In addition these incidents must not be legitimized by warfare activities, listet in the Geneva Conventions of 1949.