Côte d’Ivoire is keeping a close watch on the rising threat of Islamist militancy in its northern regions, a decade after a deadly attack in the coastal town of Grand Bassam left 19 people dead, including nine foreigners. The attack. Claimed by Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), marked the country’s first major terrorist incident on its soil.

10 Years After the Attack, Vigilance Remains High

On 13 March 2016. Three gunmen opened fire in a 45-minute spree at three adjacent hotels on the beach in Grand Bassam, 25 miles east of Abidjan. Rose Ebirim. A local activist. Witnessed the attack and described the day as a “Black Sunday” for her; the attackers were eventually killed by security forces.

In December 2022. An Abidjan court sentenced 11 men—including seven in absentia—to death for their roles in the attack. The Ivorian government has since heightened its operational vigilance to prevent such incidents from recurring, according to Defence Minister Téné Birahima Ouattara, who spoke at a March ceremony commemorating the 10th anniversary of the attack.

North of the Country Still Vulnerable

While the southern coast, including Grand Bassam, has returned to relative normalcy, the northern regions near the borders with Mali and Burkina Faso remain hotspots for jihadist activity. Both neighboring countries have recently expelled French and American military forces after military takeovers, shifting their alliances to Russia.

Côte d’Ivoire, a key Western partner in counterinsurgency efforts in the Sahel, now serves as a buffer state between the Gulf of Guinea and the region’s conflict zones. The country has also absorbed thousands of refugees fleeing violence in its neighbors, adding to the strain on local resources and infrastructure.

At the time of the 2016 attack, the insurgency had just begun to spread into Burkina Faso from Mali. Since then, terrorism incidents in coastal West Africa have nearly tripled as armed non-state actors become more active. Al-Qaida-affiliated groups such as Jama’at Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) have increasingly targeted military and security forces in the region.

According to Héni Nsaibia, a senior analyst at the conflict monitor Acled, JNIM’s tactics have grown more sophisticated. The group’s use of armed drones has surged, with recorded strikes rising from fewer than 10 in 2024 to around 80 in 2025.

Counterinsurgency Efforts and Development Projects

Since a 2020 attack in Kafolo, near the Burkinabé border, in which 14 Ivorian soldiers were killed, recruitment for police and gendarmerie units in the north has more than doubled. In 2019, an EU-backed counter-terrorism academy opened in Jacqueville, another coastal town west of Abidjan, to train elite units to combat evolving threats.

With support from international development funding, the Ivorian government has also focused on stabilizing remote border villages in the north. Initiatives include building primary schools, deploying mobile health clinics, and offering vocational micro-loans to young cashew farmers. These efforts aim to reduce the appeal of militant groups, which often lure youth with financial promises.

Despite these measures, concerns remain over the country’s dense forests and porous borders. A government spokesperson did not respond to questions about potential collaborations with regional and international counterinsurgency efforts, including reports of a speculated US drone base or joint operations with American troops.

In Grand Bassam, where the three hotels targeted in 2016 are now shuttered, Ebirim continues to raise awareness about environmental issues and reggae culture. She now organizes the annual International Day of Reggae celebrations. “I occupy myself with those activities,” she said. “After 10 years, I’m starting to sort myself out.”