5 killed in twin attacks in northern Burkina Faso

Four soldiers and a police officer lost their lives in two attacks on Friday night to Saturday by unidentified gunmen in northern Burkina Faso, a security source told Xinhua.

The attacks, which were launched on detachments in Bahn and Yense localities, also caused injuries among the defence and security forces of Burkina Faso, the source also said.

Since 2015, a spate of terrorist attacks in Burkina Faso has killed more than 500 people and internally displaced more than 280,000 others, including more than 9,000 pupils.

In the last few days, the West African country has seen an upsurge of terrorist attacks that have claimed the lives of civilians or soldiers.

This has sparked a wave of panic that led people, especially those in the most troubled northern region, to leave their homes for safer places elsewhere in the country.

A state of emergency and curfew has been declared in many regions of Burkina Faso, with the army scaling up nationwide counter-terrorism operations. (Xinhua/NAN)