A suspected jihadist raid on an army outpost in Burkina Faso’s east has killed dozens of soldiers and civilian militia, security sources reported on Sunday.
The attack, according to Tapoa province authorities, occurred last Friday in the town of Diapaga. A security source called the attack “violent,” saying it resulted in many casualties among soldiers and members of the Volunteers for the Defense of the Fatherland (VDP), a civilian force that supports the army. Many were injured.
The Burkinabe troops made a counterattack, reportedly “neutralizing a number of terrorists” effectively. The army has initiated a wide search operation in the region to capture the assailants.
Security sources also told the hospital medical personnel that about 30 security forces injured were ferried to a hospital in the eastern city of Fada N’Gourma on Saturday.
Burkina Faso has been struggling with persistent jihadist attacks since 2015, as Al-Qaeda and Islamic State-aligned militant groups have stepped up attacks nationwide. Since the start of the conflict, more than 26,000 have been reported killed and over two million displaced, the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) has reported.
The persistent violence has divided communities, isolated dozens of towns by militant blockades, and fueled the instability of the country, resulting in two military coups in the past few years.
The Burkinabe army continues to fight against insurgent forces, but the escalating crisis is a significant challenge for the government and security forces.
