Official: Jihadis abduct at least 50 women in Burkina Faso

By SAM MEDNICK
Associated Press

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — An official in Burkina Faso says at least 50 women were abducted by Islamic extremists in the northern Sahel region last week. The region’s governor said Monday that the kidnappings occurred on January 12 and 13, approximately 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the town of Arbinda in Soum province. He says the women were kidnapped while seeking wild fruit to gather. Jihadi violence linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group has overrun Burkina Faso, killing thousands. The failure of successive governments to stop the fighting has caused widespread discontent and triggered two military coups in 2022. Rights groups say a jihadi blockade of Arbinda has made women more vulnerable to attacks.