US DESIGNATES BURKINA FASO-BASED TERRORIST GROUP – ANSARUL ISLAM

On 20^th February, the US Department of State has designated Ansarul Islam as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).  It says that Ansarul Islam is a terrorist group based in Burkina Faso. The group has launched numerous attacks in northern Burkina Faso near the border with Mali, including a December 2016 attack against an army squad that killed a dozen soldiers, one of the deadliest ever attacks against Burkina Faso’s military. Ansarul Islam also carried out a February 2017 strike on 2 police stations in the country and is believed to be responsible for the March 2017 murder of a school director and another man in Kourfayel, Burkina Faso.

The OFAC listing provides additional information – ANSARUL ISLAM (a.k.a. ANSAR AL-ISLAM; a.k.a. ANSAR UL ISLAM OF MALAM BOUREIMA DICKO; a.k.a. ANSAROUR ISLAM; a.k.a. ANSAR-UL-ISLAM LIL-ICHAD WAL JIHAD; a.k.a. DEFENDERS OF ISLAM; a.k.a. “IRSAD”), Douna, Mali; Soum Province, Burkina Faso; Burkina Faso; Selba, Mali [SDGT].

https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2018/02/278481.htm

https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/OFAC-Enforcement/Pages/20180220.aspx

Author: raytodd2017

Chartered Legal Executive and former senior manager with Isle of Man Customs and Excise, where I was (amongst other things) Sanctions Officer (for UN/EU sanctions), Export Licensing Officer and Manager of the Legal-Library & Collectorate Support Section View all posts by raytodd2017