Hundreds go missing in Burkina Faso amid extremist violence

By SAM MEDNICK
Associated Press

FADA N’GOURMA, Burkina Faso (AP) — Violence linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group is ravaging Burkina Faso, killing thousands, displacing more than 1 million people and leaving hundreds missing. The International Committee of the Red Cross says that reports of missing relatives quadrupled from 104 to 407 between 2019 and 2020. The ICRC says that people have previously gone missing in the West African nation due to migration, floods or shocks from climate change, but the magnitude has increased because of the extremist violence. While some families blame the jihadis for the disappearances of their loved ones, many others point to the security forces as the main perpetrators.