On 19 March 2025, a patrol of special police struck an IED planted by an armed group (likely JNIM militants, based on location) in the town of Fo (Fo, Houet). One police officer was killed.

Supply-chain Risk Briefing - Burkina Faso IED Attack

1) Summary On March 19, 2025, a special police patrol in the Fo region of Ouahigouya Province, Burkina Faso was hit by an IED planted by armed groups believed to be affiliated with JNIM (Al-Qaeda affiliate in West Africa), resulting in the death of one police officer. This is a high-risk incident demonstrating ongoing security instability in central Burkina Faso.

2) Supply-chain impact

• Burkina Faso is a major cotton producer in West Africa, and deteriorating security in central-southern agricultural areas including Ouahigouya Province could disrupt cotton cultivation and harvesting operations
• Increased security risks on inland transport routes connecting to Côte d'Ivoire-Ghana ports, creating upward pressure on regional logistics costs
• Gold mining activities and related equipment/fuel supply chains in the Sahel region face operational constraints due to expanding armed group activity areas
• Potential delays in delivery of agricultural inputs (fertilizers, seeds) and essential goods to rural areas

3) Watch points

• Whether additional security incidents occur in Ouahigouya Province and neighboring areas, and the scale of government military response operations
• Trends in security conditions in agricultural areas before Burkina Faso enters cotton harvest season (April-May)