In the northern Ivory Coast, a Burkinabe military member and a civil auxiliary of the Burkinabe army (Volunteer for the Defense of the Homeland) were apprehended on March 27, 2024. Such incidents are common due to porous and poorly demarcated borders.
A Burkinabe military member and a Volunteer for the Defense of the Homeland (VDP), a civilian auxiliary of the army in Burkina Faso, were apprehended on March 27, 2024, in northern Ivory Coast. This occurred in the Bounkani region, near the border with Burkina Faso.
A Burkinabe rapid intervention battalion was operating in the area as part of counter-terrorism efforts. It was within this context that a Burkinabe military member and a VDP reportedly visited a market in an Ivorian village near the border, according to a security source and an expert in the area. These individuals were allegedly armed and were subsequently apprehended by Ivorian military personnel.
Later, Burkinabe security forces crossed the border. “There was no confrontation,” as the Ivorian military detachment had already left the area, assures a security source, who downplays the incident, stating that such occurrences are common due to porous and poorly demarcated borders. “Generally,” adds this source, “the incident is managed and resolved promptly.”
On September 19 last year, two Ivorian gendarmes belonging to the Bouna squadron were arrested after straying into a clandestine gold mining site on the Burkinabe side. No official reason has been communicated from Ouagadougou. However, Ivorian authorities assure that the two gendarmes are in good health. Abidjan prioritizes dialogue, underscores an Ivorian official.