"I can reassure you, we do not know of any particular security problems today in Burkina Faso so, naturally, we are very happy. But ... we must of course allow everyone to take the precautions they deem necessary ...," he added.

Burkina Faso is the latest West Africa nation to face the threat of al Qaeda's North African wing, which is known as AQIM and has taken advantage of the region's vast desert to step up kidnappings of foreigners and attacks on isolated soldiers.

Earlier this month, the U.S. embassy warned that Islamists were planning to kidnap foreigners, preferably Americans, but also other Westerners, near Ouahigouya, on Burkina Faso's northern border with Mali and Niger.

The area has been declared off-limits for U.S. government employees and late last week, the embassy evacuated its citizens, mainly Peace Corps volunteers, from the north to the capital, Ouagadougou.

Citing threats of terrorism in Mali and Niger, the French foreign ministry has also warned its citizens against travelling to Burkina Faso's far north.

While Burkina Faso was not dismissing the information that led to the U.S. security measures, Yoda said it did not come from Burkinabe intelligence, and he would not advise foreigners to stay away from the north of the country.