Burkina Faso loses 11 soldiers in army base attack

Eleven soldiers in Burkina Faso have been killed during an attack on an army base in Madjoari in the east on the country.

At least 20 others were wounded by shrapnel or projectiles and had received medical treatment after Thursday’s raid, a statement from the military said.

It is not yet clear who was behind the attack in a region where various jihadist groups operate.

The military urged all the units to maintain a spirit of combat readiness to defeat the enemy.

Col Paul-Henri Damiba, who overthrew President Roch Kaboré in the 24 January coup, has pledged to prioritise the security crisis by recruiting more forces.

He has also sought to establish local committees to initiate dialogue with militants.

Burkina Faso has been battling an Islamist insurgency in the north since 2015.

By BBC