Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Channel 12: Airspace closed at Ramon Airport due to fears of drone infiltration
IOF Spokesperson: Sirens sounded over an aircraft infiltration in the Bir Ora area, and details are being examined
Drone infiltration sirens sound north of the Gulf of Aqaba
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: The Israeli occupation carried out five extremely violent raids on the western areas of Gaza City
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: The Israeli occupation carried out major bombings in the Gaza Strip, the most violent since October 7
Yemeni Armed Forces spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree: The missile force carried out a major operation using the Palestine 2 ballistic hypersonic missile, hitting several targets in occupied Yafa.
Sirens sound in large areas of occupied Palestine after a missile launch from Yemen was detected
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: 14 martyrs arrive at al-Shifa Hospital following Israeli massacre of al-Sultan Family north of Gaza.
Qatari PM: We must not surrender to the arrogance of extremists and pursue our quest for a 'two-state solution'
Qatari PM: The only path to peace begins through negotiations and a ceasefire

50 women abducted in Burkina Faso by suspected terrorists

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 16 Jan 2023 22:51
3 Min Read

The kidnappers are suspected to be affiliated to Al-Qaeda or IS.

  • x
  • Women and children stand outside the city hall, in Kaya, on January 22, 2020. Copyright © africanews OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT/AFP
    Women and children stand outside the city hall, in Kaya, on January 22, 2020. Copyright © africanews OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT/AFP

About 50 women were abducted on Friday by suspected terrorists in Burkina Faso, in the northern town of Abrdinda, a region that has been under blockade by extremist groups for nearly a year. 

According to testimonies of several witnesses and local officials who wished to remain anonymous, a first group of forty women was kidnapped on Thursday about a dozen kilometers from the southeast of Arbinda.

A second group made of ten to twenty women was kidnapped the following day up in the north of the city. 

Some of the women reportedly managed to escape and return to their villages to tell what had happened. 

The kidnappers are suspected to be affiliated with Al-Qaeda or IS, sources say.

"While they were out looking for wild fruit, these wives, mothers, and girls were wrongfully taken by armed men," Sahel regional governor Lieutenant-Colonel Rodolphe Sorgho said in a statement.

"As soon as their disappearance was announced, efforts were launched to find all of these innocent victims safe and sound," he added.

A security source told AFP on Monday that "all means available are being used, in the air and on the ground, to find these women."

"Aircraft are flying over the area to detect any suspicious movement."

Related News

Burkina Faso junta chief dismisses PM, dissolves government

Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali sign treaty to become confederation

UN human rights chief Volker Turk called for "the immediate and unconditional release of all the abducted women," adding that this "could be the first such attack deliberately targeting women in Burkina Faso."

Read more: Nine killed in mosque attack in Burkina Faso

Abductions and armed conflicts have been quite frequent in the city of Arbinda in recent years.

For nearly a year since the country has been struck by insurgencies, Idrissa Badini, a civil society spokesman, said that the population of Arbinda "is on the verge of a humanitarian disaster" due to it running out of vital reserves. 

The UN estimates that about one million people live in blockaded regions in Burkina Faso.

Over the past year, Burkina Faso saw a number of political instabilities, with two governments subsequently overthrown over the course of nine months.

In October 2022, Ibrahim Traore was sworn in as head of the transitional government of Burkina Faso in front of the country's constitutional council.

In late September, Lt. Col. Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, the leader of an interim government who came to power through a coup in early 2022, was ousted by a group of military officers led by Traore in what became the second military takeover in the country in eight months. Damiba himself had overthrown elected President Roch Marc Christian Kabore in January 2022.

It is noteworthy that the UN warned in October 2022 that 4.9 million people, or a fifth of Burkina Faso's population, are in urgent need of aid, citing the fact that many "mothers were compelled to feed their children with leaves and salt."

Read more: France may withdraw its forces from Burkina Faso's capital: Le Monde

  • Ibrahim Traore
  • Burkina Faso
  • Al Qaeda
  • ISIS

Most Read

The damaged building in the Katara neighborhood, Doha, Qatar, September 9, 2025 (Social media)

Hamas delegation survives Israeli assassination attempt in Qatar

  • Politics
  • 9 Sep 2025
Israeli police and rescue teams respond at the scene of a shooting attack where several people killed and injured in Jerusalem, Monday, Sept. 8, 2025 (AP)

Al-Quds shooting: 7 settlers killed, several critically injured

  • Politics
  • 8 Sep 2025
Pro-"Israel" conservative Charlie Kirk shot during Utah speech

Pro-'Israel' far-right Charlie Kirk shot dead during Utah speech

  • US & Canada
  • 11 Sep 2025
Damage sustained after a Yemeni drone exploded in Ramon Airport, southern occupied Palestine, Sunday, September 7, 2025 (Social Media)

Yemeni drone successfully hits Ramon Airport in southern Palestine

  • Politics
  • 7 Sep 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Palestinians run for cover during an Israeli military strike on a building in Gaza City, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Yousef Al Zanoun)
Politics

Israeli bombs kill 45 in Gaza as schools, homes targeted

Lapid: Egypt’s Arab Force plan a 'severe blow' to normalization
Palestine

Lapid: Egypt’s Arab Force plan a 'severe blow' to normalization

Hamas: Over one million in Gaza face ethnic cleansing
Palestine

Over one million in Gaza face ethnic cleansing: Palestinian Resistance

Head of the National Security Committee in Iran’s Parliament, MP Ebrahim Azizi. (Tasnim News Agency)
Politics

Iran parliament security chief: NPT exit on table if snapback invoked

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS