Seventeen suspected jihadists and five members of a civil defence militia have been killed in an attack in northern Burkina Faso, security and government sources told AFP Thursday.
"Armed men arriving on about 20 motorbikes attacked the VDP camp in Bilakoka," located in Burkina's northern region of Sahel bordering Mali and Niger, on Wednesday, a government official told AFP.
"The volunteers repelled the attack, neutralising 17 terrorists. Five VDP members also lost their lives during the attack."