Burkina Faso: Suspected Islamist militants kidnap three mining workers in Soum province

Suspected Islamist militants kidnapped three employees of the Inata gold mine near Tongomayel, Soum province. The three victims are reportedly a South African national, an Indian engineer and their Burkinabe driver. The three left the mine at 0800 hrs local time without adivising the mine’s security team or following security measures provided by Inata, RFI reported. The mine’s security team reportedly called the authorities around 1300 hrs local time after having failed to contact the victims. The assailants reportedly took them towards the Malian border. The abduction was not immediately claimed, but suspected Islamist militants intermittently target mining interests in northern Sahel region.

 

India: Clashes between militants, security forces reported in Sopore

Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir’s Sopore town closed educational institutions and suspended mobile and internet services, following clashes between militants and security forces. A security spokesperson stated that militants opened fire on security forces in Nowpora village, Tujjar area in Sopore causing a brief exchange. No casualties were reported yet the security forces are engaged in an ongoing search operation to find the militants. Clashes with militants have stepped up in frequency and intensity since separataist group Hizbul Mujahideen released a video on 18 September demanding all security personnel resign or be killed.

 

Iran: Islamic State, Ahvaz separatists claim parade attack

The Ahvaz National Resistance, an Arab group seeking a separate state in oil-rich Khuzestan province, claimed responsibility for the gun attack on a military parade in Ahvaz that killed at least 29 people, including both security forces and civilians. Iranian officials said that the attackers were backed by the US and rival Sunni Gulf powers, but did not provide evidence to substantiate these claims. Tehran also summoned diplomats Denmark and the Netherlands to demand that they extradite members of the Ahvaz group responsible for the attack. The Islamic State group also claimed responsibly for the attack but did not provide evidence of its involvement.

This report has been brought to you by the PGI Risk Portal, an online dashboard that provides daily intelligence feeds, country threat assessments and analytical insights.

 

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