Burkina offers up to 275,000 euros for “actively wanted terrorists”

Burkina Faso's security services, plagued by recurrent jihadist violence, published a list of 20 "actively wanted terrorists" on Thursday, offering bonuses for their arrest or "neutralization" ranging from 150,000 to 275,000 euros.

The individuals, whose portraits have been broadcast on local media, are "actively wanted for participation or complicity in the planning or conduct of terrorist acts".

"If you provide information, such as to allow the arrest or the neutralization of one of these individuals, you will receive the amount indicated on the photo of the concerned", specifies a message from the ministry in charge of Security, published with the portraits.

At the top of the list are Sidibé Dramane alias Hamza and Diallo Moussa alias Abou Ganiou, aged 45 and 40 respectively. The Burkinabè authorities are offering 180 million CFA francs (about 275,000 euros) for the capture of each of them.

"Hamza" is close to Malian Amadou Koufa, an important leader of the Support Group for Islam and Muslims (Jnim in Arabic), the main coalition affiliated with Al-Qaeda in the Sahel.

Also on the list are leaders of katiba (combat unit of jihadist groups) including Dicko Hamadoun alias Suu-ka Maldê and Bolly Oumarou alias Oumi whose heads are priced at 175 million FCFA (265,000 euros) each.

The people sought are all Burkinabè, born for the majority in the northern region, with the exception of Sita Housseini alias Lookmann, a 33-year-old Nigerian.

Burkina has been caught since 2015 in a spiral of jihadist violence that appeared in Mali and Niger a few years earlier and which has spread beyond their borders.

The violence over the past seven years has killed more than 10,000 civilians and soldiers, according to NGOs, and more than two million internally displaced persons. According to the government, the army controls 65% of the national territory.

Burkina has been ruled since last September by a military junta headed by Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who came to power after a coup, the second in eight months.