4 militants killed in ambush on Burkina Faso patrol

Four militants were killed Thursday after they attacked a reconnaissance patrol in northern Burkina Faso, security sources told AFP.

“Four individuals, whose identities are yet to be been determined, were shot dead this afternoon during a clash with a patrol of the Nassoumbou military detachment,” an army officer said on condition of anonymity.

“Five soldiers were wounded, one of them seriously,” he said, adding vehicles sustained “material damage” during the ambush at Ariel, near the Mali border. The resulting battle between the militants and soldiers lasted “several hours”.

Another security source in Ouagadougou said weapons and ammunition were seized from the attackers.

Northern Burkina Faso, bordering Mali and Niger, has been the scene of jihadist attacks since the beginning of 2015, and have claimed 133 lives in 80 attacks, according to an official report.