At least twelve soldiers killed in Burkina Faso attack

"On Sunday, armed elements attacked a (military) unit around Natiaboani. The provisional toll is twelve fallen soldiers," a security source told AFP, France 24 reported.

This was a patrol and security team that were attacked by presumed extremist groups, another security source told AFP, adding that around ten soldiers had been killed.

"Multiple elements on the enemy side were also neutralised," they said, without giving further details.

Natiaboani is a rural community about sixty kilometres south of Fada N'Gourma, the largest town in the Eastern Region administrative area that since 2018 has been regularly targeted by armed groups.

Around 15 youths were kidnapped by armed individuals during an attack on Friday in nearby Nagre, according to the country's information agency.

RHM/PR