Panafrican News Agency

Death toll in terrorist attack against Burkinabe army rises to 14

Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (PANA) - The Burkinabe army said on Monday that the death toll in the terrorist attack on the military detachment of Yirgou, in the centre-north, has risen to 14 while seven others are injured.

In a statement, the Minister of Defence, Barthélémy Simporé, said that the military detachment was the target of the attack at about 0500 GMT on Monday.

"Faced with the attackers who came in large numbers and were heavily armed, the soldiers showed great combativeness by fighting back vigorously," he said.

He stressed that a ground and air counter-offensive was immediately launched to neutralise the attackers.

"In the end, 14 soldiers were killed during the fighting and seven who were wounded were evacuated and treated in the National Armed Forces medical facilities," he said.

He added that "several terrorists were neutralised during the response".

On behalf of President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, the minister offered his sincere condolences to the relatives of the dead and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.

-0- PANA NTDD/IS/BBA/MA 5Oct2021