At least 28 killed in fighting between jihadists and soldiers in Burkina Faso

Oct. 24 (EUROPA PRESS) –

At least 18 jihadists and ten soldiers have died in an attack by Islamist militiamen in the city of Djibo, in northern Burkina Faso, according to the Burkina Faso Armed Forces.

“The provisional balance includes ten soldiers who fell during the
clashes and about fifty wounded who were treated. On the enemy side, at least 18 terrorist bodies were accounted for during the sweeping operations, which are still ongoing,” the Burkina Faso Armed Forces said in a statement.

Soldiers from the 14th Combined Arms Regiment of Djibo repelled the “terrorist” attack by jihadists against the military base on Monday morning.

“Elements of the regiment bravely responded to direct and indirect fire,” highlights the statement, which highlights that the enemy had a “large number” of troops. In response to this attack, aerial reinforcements have been sent to the area to carry out relief and response operations.

This same Monday, the Patriotic Defense and Surveillance Brigade, a paramilitary force of volunteers enlisted to combat terrorism, has launched a new call for the recruitment of 15,000 new members of this militia.

Candidates must be Burkinabe, “be patriotic and of good character”, be over 18 years old and “be in good physical and psychological shape”. “The final registration will be decided only at the end of a morality investigation,” the organization warns in a statement.