Six soldiers and three civilians were killed in two separate explosions in northern Burkina Faso, security sources told AFP.
A security source said “three Homeland Defense Volunteers,” civilians who were helping the army, were killed Thursday when an explosive device exploded on the Marcoy-Tokabango Axis in the Udalana region, which borders Niger and Mali.
The source added that “the soldiers of one of the patrols were killed when they were attacked with an improvised explosive device on Wednesday in Diaman in Yaga province, which borders Niger, explaining that six members were killed.”
Another source in the security forces confirmed the attack, explaining that a mine exploded in a car carrying soldiers on a reconnaissance mission in the direction of Saba-Duri.
He said that bridges were also blown up in Denalai on the Shiba-Dori direction on Thursday.
In recent weeks, jihadist groups have destroyed several bridges on major roads leading to cities in the north, such as Dori and Jibo, with dynamite.
Attacks using improvised explosives have doubled since 2018 in Burkina Faso, killing about 400 civilians and soldiers, according to AFP statistics, and these attacks are often accompanied by ambushes.
Since 2015, Burkina Faso has suffered repeated attacks by jihadists from movements linked to Al-Qaida and ISIS, resulting in thousands of deaths and nearly two million forced to flee their homes.
According to official data, more than 40 percent of the country’s territory is currently outside state control.
Source: AFP.