A significant jihadist assault reportedly targeted an army outpost in Djibo, a town situated in northern Burkina Faso, as disclosed by security sources to media on Tuesday.
According to sources, the Sahel region’s detachment faced a “large-scale jihadist attack perpetrated by armed terrorist groups” on Sunday, resulting in what was described as “heavy losses” inflicted upon the assailants by the army. Though the exact number of soldiers killed was not disclosed.
A separate security source corroborated the assault’s occurrence and confirmed casualties among the attackers.
Reportedly, the attack commenced at approximately 3:00 pm (local time and GMT) involving several hundred armed individuals attempting unsuccessfully to breach the military base.
The source mentioned that the attackers were targeted by aerial action from the army.
The security source also indicated that the assault unfolded in “several waves of armed groups” spanning over three hours.
Following the attack, a subsequent search for surviving jihadists on Monday led to the neutralization of several dozen other terrorists, the source stated.
The Burkina Faso Information Agency reported that “more than 400 terrorists (were) destroyed during the counter-offensive by the Burkinabe Armed Forces against nearly 3,000 criminals who tried to seize the town of Djibo”.
Burkina Faso continues to combat a jihadist insurgency stemming from neighboring Mali in 2015, resulting in the deaths of more than 17,000 civilians and soldiers while displacing approximately two million people.
The country currently operates under a transitional government established after a September 2022 coup. The ruling junta-led government has been enlisting men over 18 years old in its campaign against jihadist forces.
