Dec 16 A dozen soldiers were killed in northern Burkina Faso when unidentified gunmen attacked a military post near the border with Mali, President Roch Marc Christian Kabore said on Friday, calling the assailants "forces of evil".

Attacks in Burkina Faso were relatively rare before a major attack by al Qaeda-linked fighters on a hotel in the capital, Ouagadougou, that killed 29 people in January.

"This attack demonstrates that the fight against terrorism will be without respite and also underscores the necessary decisions that must be taken to give confidence and vitality to our army," Kabore said.

He said those killed were members of the army's special anti-terrorist group. The army had earlier said that 10 soldiers and one gendarme had been killed.

Islamic militants are active in Burkina Faso's northern neighbour, Mali, and Burkinabe authorities are concerned the long desert border between the two countries could become a transit point for militants.

Friday's attack about 30 km (19 miles) from the Malian border began around 5 a.m. (0500 GMT) and was carried out "by about 40 heavily armed individuals who have not yet been identified," the army said in its statement.

A newly formed militant group led by a fighter formerly loyal to Algeria's Mokhtar Belmokhtar claimed to have attacked a Burkinabe military position in September, and unidentified gunmen killed three Burkinabe soldiers and two civilians in October. (Reporting By Mathieu Bonkoungou; Writing by Aaron Ross and Joe Bavier; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg/Larry King) </s> At least 12 Burkina Faso soldiers have been killed near the restive border with Mali in what authorities say is the biggest jihadist attack on the Burkinabe army.

“A detachment of our army’s anti-terrorist force suffered a murderous attack, which claimed the lives of 12 of our valiant soldiers and left some wounded,” said President Rock Marc Christian Kabore, in an address to the nation.

“I strongly condemn this horrible attack which shows the cruelty of the perpetrators,” added Kabore, who did not specify the number of injured.

Two more men were missing after around 40 jihadists riding pick-up trucks and motorbikes attacked the army’s Nassoumbou base, some 30 kilometres from the Burkinabe-Mali border, the high commissioner of Soum province Mohamed Dah earlier said by phone.

“They were armed with Kalashnikovs and rocket-launchers. They opened fire at the depots, tents and set fire to some of the vehicles,” he said, adding that it was the biggest jihadist attack ever perpetrated against the military.

Dah added that five attackers were killed though their bodies were taken by other assailants.

A security source said the assailants were wearing turbans and waving black flags.

Troops at the Nassoumbou base are part of a 600-strong anti-terrorist battalion deployed in January 2013 when France sent in soldiers to counter a jihadist insurgency in northern Mali. () </s> At least 12 Burkina Faso soldiers were killed in a jihadist attack on an army base near the Burkina-Mali border on December 16, 2016. By Dominique Faget (AFP/File)

Ouagadougou (AFP) - At least 12 Burkina Faso soldiers were killed Friday in what local authorities said was the biggest ever jihadist attack on the army, at a base near the restive border with Mali.

"A detachment of our army's anti-terrorist force suffered a murderous attack which claimed the lives of 12 of our valiant soldiers and left some wounded," said President Roch Marc Christian Kabore, in an address to the nation.

"I strongly condemn this horrible attack which shows the cruelty of these perpetrators," added Kabore, who did not specify the number of injured.

Two more men were missing after around 40 jihadists riding pick-up trucks and motorbikes attacked the army's Nassoumbou base some 30 kilometres (18 miles) from the Burkina-Mali border, the high commissioner of Soum province, Mohamed Dah, earlier told AFP by phone.

"They were heavily armed with Kalashnikovs and rocket-launchers. They opened fire at the depots, the tents and set fire to some of the vehicles," he said, adding that it was "the biggest jihadist attack ever perpetrated" against the army.

Dah added that at least five attackers were killed although their bodies were removed from the scene by other assailants on motorcycles.

A security source who asked not to be named said the assailants were wearing turbans and waving black jihadist flags.

Troops at the Nassoumbou base are part of a 600-strong anti-terrorist battalion that was deployed in January 2013 when France sent in troops to counter a jihadist insurgency in northern Mali.

This was the second direct attack against the Burkina army since jihadist assailants surfaced in the country in early 2015, mostly staging attacks in the north near the borders of Mali and Niger.

But in January this year, three jihadists left dozens of people dead and 71 injured in an attack in the heart of the capital.

Thirty people were killed when gunmen stormed the four-star Splendid Hotel and a nearby cafe in Ouagadougou.

The Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) group behind a string of attacks in west Africa in recent years claimed responsibility for the strikes on the venues which were popular with Westerners.

The army has, since 2012, had an anti-terrorist battalion deployed along the country's long border with Mali, an area which is frequently subjected to attacks and kidnappings.

In October, Kabore had called on his countrymen to help fight back against the mounting jihadist threat. </s> OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso — Authorities say at least 12 soldiers are dead after dozens of Islamic extremists attacked an army barracks in northern Burkina Faso.

The jihadists stormed the barracks early Friday in Nassoumbou, a town near the Malian border that is about 160 miles from Burkina Faso's capital, Ouagadougou.

The assailants also set fires to the premises, including tents and military vehicles, a security official said on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to journalists.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

This West African country has seen a number of assaults since al-Qaida-linked extremists attacked in Ouagadougou in January, killing 30 people.

Burkina Faso's president was set to travel to Nigeria for a meeting on the Gambia crisis but has canceled his trip. </s> OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso -- Burkina Faso's commander general says armed forces have killed 146 jihadists in three counterattack operations in the northwest near its border with Mali.

Gen. Moise Minoungou spoke on National Television late Monday saying armed men entered Kain village early Monday and killed 14 men and women. He said Burkina Faso's army responded by fighting in Kain, about 80 kilometres (50 miles) from Ouahigouya in the north Yatenga province. With air support it also fought in Bahn in the north region and Bomboro in the Boucle du Mouhon region.

He said the combined operations killed 146 jihadists fleeing to Mali.

Islamic extremists have increased attacks in Burkina Faso's Sahel region, also shifting to the forested east near the Niger border.

Burkina Faso is part of the G5 Sahel regional counterterror force. </s> Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso: Burkina Faso's commander general says armed forces have killed 146 jihadists in three counterattack operations in the northwest near its border with Mali.

General Moise Minoungou spoke on National Television late Monday saying armed men entered Kain village early Monday and killed 14 men and women. He said Burkina Faso's army responded by fighting in Kain, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) from Ouahigouya in the north Yatenga province. With air support it also fought in Bahn in the north region and Bomboro in the Boucle du Mouhon region.

He said the combined operations killed 146 jihadists fleeing to Mali.

Islamic extremists have increased attacks in Burkina Faso's Sahel region, also shifting to the forested east near the Niger border.

Burkina Faso is part of the G5 Sahel regional counterterror force.

Firstpost is now on WhatsApp. For the latest analysis, commentary and news updates, sign up for our WhatsApp services. Just go to Firstpost.com/Whatsapp and hit the Subscribe button. </s> In Burkina Faso, 14 civilians have been killed in a terrorist attack in the northern region of the West Africa nation near the Mali border.

The military conducted raids and “neutralised” 146 militants. The terror attack, which took place in the town of Kain in the Yatenta province on the night of Sunday to yesterday, is one of the most serious recorded in the country. </s> Niamey/Nairobi — At least 18 soldiers in western Niger were killed and four others were missing after suspected Islamist militants blew up two cars and fired on a military camp, the army said on Tuesday.

The raid occurred on Monday afternoon near the town of Inates, close to the border with Mali, where militants are active, and in the same region where an ambush by Islamic State's (IS's) West African sect killed 28 soldiers in May.

Niger hosts the African Union summit from July 6-9 less than 200km away in the capital, Niamey. In the run-up, the EU has been training Nigerien forces to respond to militant attacks.

An army statement said the attack began with the explosion of the two car bombs before additional assailants opened fire from motorcyles. The army's "partners" then responded with air strikes to force them across the border into Mali.

Former colonial power France has more than 4,000 troops in West Africa's Sahel region, a semi-arid strip of land south of the Sahara, and often carries out air strikes on militants linked to IS and Al-Qaeda.

A security source said that about a dozen vehicles were stolen in the raid. Jihadists have previously launched attacks using vehicles stolen in earlier raids.

Security has deteriorated across the Sahel in recent months due to both jihadist attacks and deadly ethnic reprisals involving rival farming and herding communities, particularly in Mali and Burkina Faso.

Militants loyal to Adnan Abu Waleed al-Sahrawi, the leader of IS in the Greater Sahara, operate along Mali's border with Burkina Faso and Niger.

In 2017, they killed four members of US special forces and four Nigerien soldiers in an ambush near the village of Tongo Tongo. </s> Burkina Faso's commander general says armed forces have killed 146 jihadists in three counterattack operations in the northwest near its border with Mali.

General Moise Minoungou spoke on National Television late on Monday saying armed men entered Kain village early on Monday and killed 14 men and women. He said Burkina Faso's army responded by fighting in Kain, about 80km from Ouahigouya in the north Yatenga province. With air support it also fought in Bahn in the north region and Bomboro in the Boucle du Mouhon region.

He said the combined operations killed 146 jihadists fleeing to Mali.

Islamic extremists have increased attacks in Burkina Faso's Sahel region, also shifting to the forested east near the Niger border.

Burkina Faso is part of the G5 Sahel regional counterterror force.

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An attack on a border post near Burkina Faso's border with Mali, leaves at least 12 Burkinabe troops dead and two others missing.