Suspected jihadists kill at least 22 soldiers, militia in Burkina Faso

At least 22 soldiers and civilian militia members were killed in suspected extremist attacks over the weekend in northern Burkina Faso, security sources reported Tuesday. The coordinated assaults targeted military installations, inflicting heavy losses.

Around 14 military personnel and seven civilian army volunteers died at a military base in Di, near Dedougou, on Saturday morning. Another attack occurred at Solhan, where two sources reported "heavy human and material losses" without providing specific numbers. A third attack on Sunday targeted a military post in Seguenega, near Kaya in the north-central region.

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These assaults in different regions were carefully coordinated to inflict the greatest possible losses but the vigorous response on all sides succeeded in thwarting all these attacks.

Security sources described the assaults as carefully coordinated to maximize casualties. However, they also stated that a "vigorous response on all sides" succeeded in thwarting all the attacks. Since Saturday, coordinated pursuit operations have led to the neutralization of "several dozen terrorists" and the recovery of various military equipment and logistical resources.

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Since Saturday, the response and pursuit conducted in coordination with the high command made it possible to neutralise several dozen terrorists and to recover various military equipment and logistical resources.