AFRICA NEWS
11 soldiers, 15 gunmen dead in Burkina Faso attacks: army
by AFP Staff Writers
Ouagadougou (AFP) May 20, 2022

Eleven soldiers and 15 gunmen have been killed in a suspected jihadist attack in eastern Burkina Faso, the army said.

On Thursday, security and local sources gave a provisional toll of seven soldiers killed in an assault on a military unit, while a separate attack on a bus left one civilian dead.

But in a statement released overnight, the military chief of staff said that 11 troops had been killed.

"A complex attack -- shells fired, followed by direct fire on the base" in Madjoari in the Kompienga province, it said in a statement.

"Eleven soldiers lost their lives... (and) at least 20" wounded, it said.

Army warplanes helped to "neutralise at least 15 terrorists who were trying to escape after the attack," it said.

On Saturday, around 40 people -- many of them civilian volunteers with the army -- were killed in three suspected jihadist attacks in the same regions.

Burkina Faso has been battered by jihadist raids since 2015, with movements linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group.

More than 2,000 people have been killed and 1.8 million displaced.

The new head of state, Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, says he has made the security crisis his "priority".

Damiba overthrew elected president Roch Marc Christian Kabore in January, accusing him of being ineffective in the face of jihadist violence.

After a relative lull when Damiba took power, a surge in attacks has claimed almost 200 lives.

In early April, Damiba announced the creation of local committees to try to engage with jihadist groups and curb the violence.


Related Links
Africa News - Resources, Health, Food

AFRICA NEWS
Uganda troops to withdraw from DRC by May 31: army
Kampala (AFP) May 17, 2022
Ugandan troops sent to Democratic Republic of Congo last year to help a crackdown on rebels will withdraw by May 31 unless the two countries strike a new agreement, Ugandan military officials said Tuesday. Kinshasa however responded it was "too soon" for any such decision on a pullout. Uganda joined Congolese forces on November 30 in a fight against the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), accused of massacres in eastern DR Congo and bombings in Uganda. The joint mission's duration had not been r ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

AFRICA NEWS
Turkey says still talking to Russia about missile deliveries

Lockheed Martin to produce 8th THAAD Battery for US Govt

Northrop Grumman to develop next-generation relay ground station for US Navy in Pacific

US approves $95 million sale of missile defense support to Taiwan

AFRICA NEWS
DOD focused on hypersonic missile defense development, Admiral Says

Lockheed Martin delivers Long-Range Precision Strike Missile System on JLTVs

Russia admits striking Kyiv during UN chief's visit

Raytheon will not resume mass production of Stinger missiles until 2023

AFRICA NEWS
4D composite printing can improve the wings of drones

Testing interactions between drones and traditional aircraft

Rapid adaptation of deep learning teaches drones to survive any weather

Chinese drone maker DJI suspends Russia, Ukraine business

AFRICA NEWS
Blasting out Earth's location with the hope of reaching aliens is a controversial idea

Space Force to use ViaLite's wideband links for satellite backhaul services

Chinese military deeply alarmed over Starlink's dual-use capabilities

Terran Orbital delivers first bus in support of SDA's Transport Layer Tranche 0

AFRICA NEWS
One dead in munitions blast at Russian military base

The Edge of Tomorrow aims to equip the infantry soldiers of the future

New Air Force priority topics unveiled for industry partners

Bolsonaro downplays Brazil army's Viagra order

AFRICA NEWS
Prague to get German tanks in exchange for Ukraine aid

France to step up arms supplies to Ukraine, Macron tells Zelensky

Experts warn arms for Ukraine could end up in wrong hands

EU hikes military aid for Ukraine as NATO expansion faces roadblocks

AFRICA NEWS
Hong Kong cardinal's arrest spotlights secretive Vatican-China deal

China slams US Asia strategy as Biden visits S.Korea, Japan

Finland, Sweden hand in applications to join NATO

Japan urges China to play 'responsible' role on Ukraine crisis

AFRICA NEWS
New silicon nanowires can really take the heat

Cooling speeds up electrons in bacterial nanowires

Seeing more deeply into nanomaterials

Atom by atom: building precise smaller nanoparticles with templates