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Senegal has banned women from wearing full-face Islamic veils, amid rising fears of Islamic extremism in the country.
The interior minister, Abdoulaye Daouda, said on Wednesday that women would no longer be allowed to wear the Islamic dress, which leaves only the eyes exposed.
Daouda said the decision was designed to prevent terrorists from using the burqa as a disguise.
An estimated 92% of Senegal’s population is Muslim. Although the country has not suffered a terrorist attack recently, authorities are concerned that the Islamic militant group Boko Haram, based in north-east Nigeria, may be trying to extend its range.
Senegal is not alone in west Africa in banning the burqa. This yea, rCameroon and Chad, also Muslim-majority countries, issued similar orders citing similar reasons.