Riots over food security in Burkina Faso

Riots hit several towns in Burkina Faso in late February after the government announced it would reduce taxes on imported goods rather than lowering prices of essentials.

Protesters took to the streets to denounce the rising prices of basics like food, cloth and fuel, which have increased between 10 per cent and 65 per cent in recent weeks. The unrest began in the country's second largest city, Bobo-Dioulasso, and spread to the capital city, Ouagadougou. The government is releasing emergency stocks to quell the protests.