Canadian geologist Kirk Woodman was abducted and killed earlier this week in Burkina Faso – the latest incident that underlines the unraveling of security in the region. The Government recently extended the state of emergency in some northern provinces in the wake of deadly attacks.
Woodman was vice-president of exploration for Canadian company Progress Minerals Inc, when he was abducted from a gold mining site in Tiabangou, near the border with Niger. The Bira Trend exploration site where the abduction happened belonged to junior company Predictive Discovery.
Around ten gunmen attacked the mine, searching the site before stealing equipment and leaving with Woodman. His body was found on Wednesday in Gorom Gorom. He had arrived in the country on the 10th of January.
Canadian and Italian missing, presumed kidnapped
Canadian Edith Blais, 34, and Italian Luca Tacchetto have been missing since 15th December
The pair were reportedly driving from Bobo-Dioulasso to Ougadougou, where they planned to stay for a few days and sell their car, before heading on to Togo where they were due to work on an aid project. Their family and friends have not heard from them since the 15th, and authorities in Canada are treating the case as a potential abduction.
Further news and information
Burkina Faso extends state of emergency in north by 6 months after… https://t.co/vrbcLsYm0d
— Reuters Africa (@ReutersAfrica) January 12, 2019
Kirk Woodman
- CBC News: Death of Kirk Woodman highlights growing instability in Sahel region of West Africa
- The Straits Times: Canadian geologist kidnapped in Burkina Faso found dead
- Business in Vancouver: Kirk Woodman, VP of White Rock-based Progress Minerals, found dead in Burkina Faso
- Mining.com: Canadian geologist Kirk Woodman murdered in Burkina Faso
- BBC News: Second Canadian national feared kidnapped in Burkina Faso
- Bay Today: Canadian mining employee kidnapped in northern Burkina Faso: local officials
- BBC News: Kirk Woodman: Canadian mine worker killed in Burkina Faso
A Canadian national has been found dead a day after reports of his kidnapping by suspected jihadists in Burkina Faso’s volatile north near the Niger border, the West African nation’s security ministry said. https://t.co/X4s9N70oIe
— Stars and Stripes (@starsandstripes) January 17, 2019
Burkina Faso killing highlights increasing security threat for mining companies https://t.co/Xpasi38gGc pic.twitter.com/NaGzS1ZIpc
— CTV News (@CTVNews) January 18, 2019
Suspected extremists abduct Canadian in Burkina Faso https://t.co/FKdQQcgho7 pic.twitter.com/7hAxpDwKSw
— FRANCE 24 (@FRANCE24) January 16, 2019
Edith Blais and Luca Tacchetto
- CTV News: Quebec woman and Italian friend missing in Burkina Faso
- Global News: Freeland to meet with family of Edith Blais, who’s been missing in Burkina Faso since Dec. 15
- BBC News: Canadian and Italian tourists feared kidnapped in Burkina Faso
- Global News: Family of Sherbrooke woman missing in Africa reassured Ottawa taking case seriously
A 2nd Canadian has been abducted in Burkina Faso, the west African country’s security minister says. News comes as the Canadian government is treating the earlier disappearance of a Quebec woman in Burkina Faso as a kidnapping. Background: https://t.co/97luZMTv0D
— CBC News Alerts (@CBCAlerts) January 16, 2019
Canadian’s disappearance in Burkina Faso highlights value of travel advisories @CBCNews @EvanDyerCBC https://t.co/v4bg9HokXI
— Stefani Langenegger (@SLangeneggerCBC) January 9, 2019
Canadian and Italian tourists feared kidnapped in Burkina Faso https://t.co/mopenh5hD7
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) January 7, 2019
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