Just in: 18 jihadists killed by Burkina Faso police
Just in: 18 jihadists killed by Burkina Faso police
Burkina Faso authorities said 18 “terrorists ” were killed when they attempted to attack a police base in the north of the country , where security services have been struggling to quell a rising jihadist revolt .
“The attackers were repulsed thanks to a prompt response , ” police said in a statement after Wednesday ’ s assault in Arbinda , Soum Province.
One police officer was killed and seven officers were injured , the statement added .
Weapons , motorcycles and GPS equipment belonging to the jihadists were recovered from the scene.
It comes after the Burkina Faso army said it had killed 32 “terrorists ” last week in two operations in the north of the impoverished and politically fragile Sahel country .
The country ’ s badly equipped , poorly trained and underfunded security forces have been unable to stem jihadist violence , which has intensified throughout 2019 to become almost daily .
Attacks have been claimed by a range of jihadist groups, including Al -Qaeda and the Islamic State.
The Sahel region, including Burkina Faso’ s neighbours Mali and Niger , has been afflicted by the violence despite the presence of the regional G 5 Sahel force as well as troops from the US and former colonial power France .
( AFP)