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France Said to Warn Senegal, Ivory Coast of Terror Attack

  • Phone taps indicate plan for car bomb or raid on public space
  • Ivory Coast said to meet with imams to discuss threat
Burkina Faso troops stand guard outside a hotel in Ouagadougou following an attack by Al-Qaeda-linked gunmen, on Jan. 18.

Burkina Faso troops stand guard outside a hotel in Ouagadougou following an attack by Al-Qaeda-linked gunmen, on Jan. 18.

Photographer: Issouf Sanogo/AFP via Getty Images
Updated on

France has warned Ivory Coast and Senegal that Islamist militants are planning to attack the main cities of the West African countries, according to people familiar with intelligence reports provided to the governments.

Fighters are considering using car bombs, attacking public areas popular with foreigners, and targeting beaches, according to three people who asked not to be named because the information isn’t public. The Ivory Coast government has asked religious leaders and Muslim organizations to notify police about newcomers in their communities and any suspicious behavior, according to one official.