Six shot dead by police in Burkina Faso in attack on security patrol

The security patrol was attacked during an operation to dismantle a cache of weapons belonging to suspected terrorists in the nearby area, a local official said. Burkina Faso, bordering Mali and Niger, has been battling jihadist attacks over the last three years.

Six people were shot dead on Monday by police in eastern Burkina Faso during a “terrorist attack” on a security patrol, security sources said.

A security source said several weapons, including Kalashnikovs and ammunition, were seized from the attackers. (AP/File Photo)

An officer was also wounded in the incident at about 0500 GMT near Bougui, about 10 kilometres (6 miles) from Fada N’Gourma, the main town in the Eastern Region administrative area, a source said.

“A patrol team of the territorial gendarmerie brigade of Fada N’Gourma was ambushed in the village of Bougui,” a security source told AFP. “The terrorists opened fire at the convoy, damaging the lead vehicle.”

The police responded, firing on the attackers, killing six of them but leaving one officer with a foot injury, another security source said. “Several weapons, including Kalashnikovs and ammunition were seized from the attackers,” the source added.

The security patrol was attacked during an operation to dismantle a cache of weapons belonging to suspected terrorists in the nearby area, a local official said. Burkina Faso, bordering Mali and Niger, has been battling jihadist attacks over the last three years.

Attacks initially began in the north of the country but have since spread to the east, near the border with Togo and Benin. On Friday five people, including four police officers, were killed when their vehicle struck an improvised explosive device (IED) in the eastern town of Boungou.