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At least 22 soldiers and civilian militia were killed in suspected attacks by extremists over the weekend in northern Burkina Faso, security sources told AFP on Tuesday.
The weekend attacks across northern Burkina Faso inflicted heavy human and material losses, including additional fatalities at a military post in Solhan and a third raid on Sunday in Seguenega.
The Al-Qaeda-affiliated Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) later claimed responsibility for the deadly operations against the Burkinabe army.
The ruling military junta, which seized power in September 2022, increasingly relies on civilian volunteers to counter terrorist offensives that have plagued the nation for over a decade.
Security officials stated that a vigorous government response successfully thwarted the broader weekend assaults, allowing the army high command to neutralise dozens of terrorists and recover stolen military equipment.
While the junta no longer reports its own casualties, it continues to announce major counteroffensive successes against the militants, recently claiming to have eliminated over 400 terrorists in the Sirba and Sebba regions.
This latest spike in violence coincides with a complete breakdown in diplomatic relations between Burkina Faso and France.
The military government recently expelled all French diplomats and troops from the country, accusing Paris of supporting the terrorists and manipulating security narratives.
France strongly denied the allegations as completely false, expressed regret over the hostile decision, and ordered all Burkinabe diplomats to leave French territory by Monday night.
Following this split from its former colonial power, Burkina Faso quickly forged new military alliances with Russia and formed the Alliance of Sahel States with neighbouring Mali and Niger.
