Attack kills dozen, wounds many in Burkina Faso — army

Convoy carrying supplies to local residents escorted by a military unit "was the target of a terrorist attack" near Gaskinde in the Sahel region, an army statement said.

As in neighbouring countries of Burkina Faso, insurgents affiliated with Al Qaeda and the Daesh group have stoked the unrest.
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As in neighbouring countries of Burkina Faso, insurgents affiliated with Al Qaeda and the Daesh group have stoked the unrest.

A suspected militant attack in the north of Burkina Faso has killed around a dozen people, mostly soldiers, security sources have told AFP news agency.

Violence has raged in the landlocked west African country after Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba seized power in a January coup, ousting Burkina's elected leader.

But as in neighbouring countries, insurgents affiliated with Al Qaeda and the Daesh group have stoked the unrest.

Monday's attack, a convoy carrying supplies to local residents and escorted by a military unit "was the target of a terrorist attack" near Gaskinde in the Sahel region, an army statement said.

"The attack, unfortunately, caused human and material losses," and a full toll would be established "as soon as possible", it said.

A security source told AFP that a preliminary toll indicated "about a dozen dead among elements of the unit. There were also a number of seriously wounded."

The source added that reinforcements had been sent to the area, both to secure it and to aid the victims.

READ MORE: IED blast kills, wounds dozens of civilians in Burkina Faso

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Continuous attacks

On Sunday an improvised explosive device that targeted another army-escorted resupply convoy in the Sahel wounded four people, security sources said.

These attacks followed one on Saturday in the country's east near the borders with Niger and Benin. The army said at least two soldiers and two civilian auxiliaries were killed in an ambush on their patrol.

Thousands have died and about two million people have been displaced by the fighting since 2015 when the insurgency spread into Burkina Faso.

Earlier this month Damiba sacked his defence minister and assumed the role himself after a series of attacks.

READ MORE: Deadly IEDs target soldiers in northern Burkina Faso

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