BURKINA FASO – Suspected Islamist militants killed 35 civilians – 31 of them women – in an attack on a military base and a town here, officials said.
They added seven soldiers and 80 militants were killed as the army repelled Tuesday’s attack in Arbinda, in northern Soum province.
President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré declared two days of national mourning.
Jihadist groups have stepped up attacks in Burkina Faso and other West African countries, in recent years.
Tuesday’s attack was carried out by dozens of fighters on motorbikes and lasted several hours. No group has so far said it was behind it, but groups allied to al-Qaeda or Islamic State are active in the region.
Burkina Faso, a predominantly Muslim country, was once relatively stable but has descended into serious unrest since 2015. Around 700 people were killed and 560,000 displaced.(BBC)
