UK warns nationals of ‘possible’ terrorist attacks in Ghana

The British government has issued a warning to its citizens of possible terrorist attacks in Ghana due to the country’s participation in Mali.

Ghana this year sent about 120 soldiers to join troops from France and other African countries to fight Islamist militants in Mali. The Ghanaian soldiers were mainly from the engineering regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces.

In addition to troops, the country has also made a financial pledge of $3 million to support the African-led force for Mali (AFISMA).

“There is a possibility of retaliatory attacks in Ghana due to its participation in the intervention in Mali,” the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) said in its regular travel advice which was updated September 26, 2013.

The UK Foreign Office stated “there is an underlying threat from terrorism”.

Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by expatriates and foreign travelers, it added.

The Ghana Air Force (GAF) is also operating an aviation unit in Mali after it won a United Nations air services contract.

African countries such as Kenya have been a target of terrorist attacks. A recent one is the Nairobi shopping mall attack which killed at least 60 innocent people.

Renowned Ghanaian poet and Senior citizen Prof. Kofi Awoonor, 78, was also killed in Kenyan attack carried out by Al-Shabab, an Islamist group fighting for freedom in Somalia.

On Mali, Islamist militants took advantage of a military coup in the country in March 2012, and took over the country, dividing it into two. They imposed Sharia in a number of cities in the north which they controlled.

Subsequently France launched a military operation January 11, 2013 to take over control of the country when it became clear the Islamists appeared close to marching to the capital Bamako.

Mali in August this year elected a new President in the name of Ibrahim Boubacar Keita.

By Ekow Quandzie