Bilge Nesibe KotanAt least 20 civilians have been killed in a night attack on a gold mine in Burkina Faso's restive north.
"Dozens of armed men travelling on motorcycles attacked the gold mine in Kougdiguin," on the night of Thursday to Friday in the Namentenga province, a local said on Saturday.
"Sadly we registered about 20 deaths and an equal number of people wounded," the source said.
Another local source put the death toll at 22, adding that "women and children" figured among the victims. Local media also covered the attack.
A hospital source said there were about 10 people admitted with injuries, adding that others could have been undergoing treatment in other health facilities.
Last month, an attack on a gold mine in the Sahel region in the country killed 11 people.
Al Qaeda and Daesh-linked terror groups in neighbouring Mali have been carrying out frequent attacks in the north and east of Burkina Faso since 2015.
According to government data, 2,000 people have died in attacks from 2015 to December 2021 with 600 being security forces.
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