Three terrorists shot, 3 soldiers killed in two attacks in Côte d'Ivoire
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (PANA) - The Ivorian Army announced on Monday that three soldiers were killed and three terrorists shot dead in two attacks that took place on Sunday night in the north of the country, on the border with Burkina Faso.
According to a statement issued by the army, the first attack was in Kafolo. It was carried out by around 60 heavily armed terrorists from Burkina Faso.
The Ivorian Armed Forces pushed back the attackers after an hour of intense fighting and carried out a search operation.
According to the early report, two soldiers were killed and four wounded, while three terrorists were eliminated and four arresteda
Logistical equipment was seized, including armament, radio, ammunition and motorcycles, said the statement quoting Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Gen. Lassina Doumbia.
A military mop up continues on the ground, according to the same source.
The second attack took place in Kolobougou, 60 km northwest of Tehini department bordering Burkina Faso, where a gendarmerie post was targeted by unidentified individuals.
"An Ivorian gendarme was killed and another was wounded. No victim was found on the enemy side for the time being (Monday 12 noon)," the statement said.
Cote d'Ivoire experienced its first terrorist attack on March 13, 2016 in Grand-Bassam (South), killing 19, including three soldiers from the Ivorian forces and wounding 33.
The attack was claimed by Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.
On 10 June 2020 in Kafolo, another attack targeting a combined army-gendarmerie post, claimed lives of 12 soldiers and a gendarme. About 30 people were arrested during search operations in the region.
Early February, a document from the French intelligence service warned the Ivorian authorities and several leaders of the Gulf of Guinea countries about terrorist threats looming over these countries.
Cote d' Ivoire neighbours, such as Burkina Faso and Mali, have been experiencing terrorist attacks for several years and on an almost daily basis.
-0- PANA TNDD/JSG/KND/AR 29March2021
