Soldiers in Burkina Faso killed 146 jihadists in response to a terrorist attack in which 14 civilians were killed, the Amy said on Tuesday.

Militants killed 14 people when they attacked the town of Kain near the West African nation’s border with Mali on Sunday, army spokesman Lamoussa Fofana said in a statement released.

The army launched ground and air operations to search for the terrorists, with the operation still ongoing, according to the spokesman.

Heads of state of the G5 Sahel met in the capital, Ouagadougou.

The group includes Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad and was set up to fight terrorism and organised crime in the Sahel region.

The north of Burkina Faso, which borders on Mali and Niger, serves as a refuge for Islamist extremists, who also regularly attack the civilian population.

Bukina Faso, a country of roughly 20 million people, belongs to the world’s 10 poorest nations, according to the United Nations. (dpa/NAN) </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 -- 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> 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> 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.

Sign up to News24's top Africa news in your inbox: SUBSCRIBE TO THE HELLO AFRICA NEWSLETTER

FOLLOW News24 Africa on Twitter and Facebook. </s> The commander general of Burkina Faso's army says five gendarmes are dead and three wounded after jihadists retaliated against counterterror operations that killed 146 of their fighters earlier this week.

Commander Gen. Moise Minoungou also said late Tuesday that armed forces killed 21 jihadists after they attacked a military base in Oursi.

Minoungou encouraged the population to continue collaborating with security forces against the growing jihadist presence in the West African nation.

Islamic extremists in recent months have increased attacks in Burkina Faso's volatile Sahel region, which is now under a state of emergency.

Burkina Faso is part of a regional counterterror force, the G5 Sahel, launched in 2017. Other members are Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger. </s> Burkina Faso's armed forces have killed 146 jihadists in three counterterror operations in the northwest near the border with Mali, the army's said.

The army's response came after armed men attacked Kain village in province early Monday, killing 14 people, Gen. said on national television Monday night. The response, including air support, included fighting in Bahn in the north region and Bomboro in the Boucle du Mouhoun region.

The statement said there were and no deaths among security forces.

Islamic extremists in recent months have increased attacks in Burkina Faso's volatile Sahel region. A Canadian man was recently kidnapped and killed, and another Canadian and Italian are missing.

Gunmen in the past week killed at least 14 people in attacks on a marketplace and military base in the Sahel region. The base in Nassoumbou, in province in the northeast, also was attacked in December 2016, with 12 military personnel killed.

is part of a five-nation regional counterterror force, the G5 Sahel, launched in 2017. Other members are Chad, Mali, and </s> 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 24 troops were killed in northern Burkina Faso as a result of a recent attack by militants, local media reported on Tuesday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th August, 2019) At least 24 troops were killed in northern Burkina Faso as a result of a recent attack by militants , local media reported on Tuesday.

The attack by an armed terrorist group on a military unit in the province of Soum took place on Monday morning, Afriquinfos news outlet reported.

According to Burkina Faso's General Staff, apart from 24 dead, 12 to 17 soldiers are missing and many are critically injured. The militants also seized weapons.

The Army Command said it was conducting a large-scale air and ground operation to search for the attackers and further neutralize them.

There are two major Islamic groups active in Burkina Faso Ansarul islam and the Support Group for Islam and Muslims.
A Burkinabé military operation reportedly kills 146 jihadists after the Al-Qaeda-linked militants killed 14 people in other attacks.