According to an Army statement, at least 15 soldiers were killed in northern Burkina Faso on Tuesday when a transport vehicle drove over a hidden explosive, killing several soldiers before a second explosion killed those who rushed to their aid.
The incident occurred on a rural road in the Bam province of the Burkinabe’s Central-North region. This region witnesses soldiers and civilians being routinely attacked by Islamist insurgents. Groups linked to Al Qaeda and the Islamic State have been operating in the area since at least 2015.
“While rescue and security operations were being organised, a second device was obviously activated remotely, causing numerous casualties,” the statement said.
The attack came less than 24 hours after unidentified fighters raided another northern village, killing five civilians and five volunteer militiamen, the region’s governor said in a separate statement on Tuesday.
A week before that, Islamist militants ambushed and killed four soldiers and nine militiamen in Bam province.
The country’s president was overthrown in January by angry army officials concerned about the escalating attacks. They swore to improve security by the level of violence has remained high.
More that 1.85 million people have been displaced due to the violence in Burkina Faso alone besides claiming thousands of lives across West Africa’s Sahel region.
