Cote d'Ivoire wary of jihadist threat in north 10 years on from major attack

Rose Ebirim organizes International Day of Reggae celebrations and also picks up litter on the beach in Grand Bassam, using both activities as therapy after witnessing a deadly attack. On 13 March 2016, three gunmen opened fire at close range on adjacent beach hotels, killing 19 people, including nine foreigners, and traumatizing the nation. Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb claimed responsibility, citing retaliation for Cote d'Ivoire arresting its men and handing them over to Mali. An Abidjan court sentenced 11 men to death in December 2022. Officials commemorate the 10th anniversary and cite strengthened operational vigilance. While Grand Bassam remains relatively peaceful, jihadist threats persist in the north near Mali and Burkina Faso, where regional partners have shifted toward Russia after expulsions of French and American troops.

"Both activities have become a form of therapy since the time she saw someone die. 13 March 2016 was a Black Sunday for me, she said. On that day, she saw three gunmen open fire at close range as they stalked three adjacent hotels on the beach in a 45-minute shooting spree. By the time security agencies shot the attackers dead, they had killed 19 people including nine foreigners, and traumatised the entire nation."

"Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was in retaliation for Cote d'Ivoire arresting its men and handing them over to Mali. It was not until December 2022 that an Abidjan court sentenced 11 men including seven in absentia to death for their roles in the attack. Our forces have strengthened their operational vigilance to ensure that such tragedies never happen again, the defence minister, Tene Birahima Ouattara, said at a ceremony this March to commemorate the 10th anniversary of what was the first major terrorist incident on Ivorian soil."

"Grand Bassam, a Unesco world heritage site and the country's first capital, forms part of a relatively peaceful three-hour drive to the border with Ghana lined with resort towns that once again cater to residents and tourists. But up in the north, on the borders with Mali and Burkina Faso, the threat of jihadism continues to lurk. Both states have expelled French and American troops in recent years after military takeovers, pivoting to stronger partnerships with Russia instead."

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