ABIDJAN, Côte d’Ivoire August 26, 2025 — Four people were killed and one remains missing following an attack by unidentified armed assailants in the northeastern Ivorian village of Difita, near the border with Burkina Faso, the Ivorian military said in a statement on Tuesday.
The assault, which occurred in the early hours of Monday, marks the first deadly attack in the country since 2021.
According to the military, a woman sustained severe burns during the incident, which also saw several homes set ablaze, livestock stolen, and vehicles either destroyed or looted.
General Lassina Doumbia, Chief of Staff of the Ivorian Armed Forces, said air and ground units were swiftly deployed to the area. However, the attackers had fled before security forces arrived.
The village of Difita lies approximately two kilometers from the border with Burkina Faso, a nation battling a prolonged jihadist insurgency.
Security analysts have warned of the growing threat of extremist violence spilling over from the Sahel into coastal West African states, including Côte d’Ivoire.
Authorities have launched a search operation to locate the perpetrators and investigate the motive behind the attack. General Doumbia extended condolences to the victims’ families and urged local residents to remain calm and cooperate with security forces, reaffirming the military’s commitment to safeguarding the region.
