The first decree, read on national television, removed General Barthelemy Simpore as defence minister, while the second said the "president has taken over the duties of the minister of national defence and veterans".

Alongside him, Colonel-Major Silas Keita was named minister delegate in charge of national defence and promoted to brigadier general.

Keita was the only new minister introduced in the mini-shuffle, which follows a series of deadly jihadist attacks this month in the West African country.

Two soldiers died and a dozen "terrorists" were killed Monday during an attack against a military detachment in Burkina Faso's jihadist-hit north, the army said.

The landlocked country is in the grip of a seven-year-old insurgency that has claimed more than 2,000 lives and forced about 1.4 million people to leave their homes.