26 Jan 2018 | 11:22 AM UTC
Senegal: Tourists attacked in Casamance Jan. 25
Gunmen attack a vehicle transporting four Spanish nationals, robbing them and raping three of the women, near Karong (Casamance region) on January 25; avoid the area
Event
Gunmen attacked a vehicle transporting four Spanish tourists near the village of Karong (Casamance region) on Thursday, January 25. The assailants reportedly stole a significant amount of money from the tourists and raped three of the women before fleeing. A police patrol has been deployed to the area to look for the attackers.
Context
The attack comes after gunmen killed 14 people in Casamance’s Bayotte Forest on January 6; 16 people were indicted in connection to the murders. Military forces have been deployed to the region and increased tensions have since been reported in the area; the Mouvement des Forces Démocratiques de Casamance (MFDC) insurgent group, who has fought for Casamance independence since 1982, has denounced what they perceive as the militarization of the region. The MFDC has denied being behind the January 6 attack, blaming it instead on the crime groups also operating in the region.
Advice
Most Western governments advise against nonessential travel to the Casamance region (with the exception of zones around Oussouye and Cap Skirring, considered secure), as well as along the Malian and Mauritanian borders, due to security concerns.
