Attack on army volunteers left 40 dead in Burkina Faso

An attack on the army and volunteer defense forces in northern Burkina Faso has left 40 dead and 33 wounded, according to a statement released by the government.

Unidentified assailants raid villages in Burkina Faso, killing 44

Unknown assailants killed 44 people in two attacks in northern Burkina Faso overnight on Thursday, authorities said. The assaults took place in the...

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The assault, which occurred on Saturday near the town of Ouahigouya in the North Region, has been attributed to unidentified assailants. The area is known for its connection to Islamist groups linked to al Qaeda and the Islamic State, which have perpetrated numerous attacks in the region for years.

It remains unclear which group was responsible for the latest attack. This incident occurred just nine days after gunmen killed 44 people in two villages in the north of Burkina Faso.

The government has urged citizens to join local defense forces to combat the violence, which has led to thousands of deaths and millions being displaced.

The ongoing unrest has resulted in two coups by the military in the past year, but they have yet to quell the attacks.

The violence in Burkina Faso began in 2012 when Islamists took control of a Tuareg separatist uprising in Mali, and it has since spread to Niger and Burkina Faso, threatening to destabilize coastal nations further afield.