OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso's armed forces killed about 100 militants in a joint operation with Niger between Nov. 25 and Dec. 9 in the two countries' border zone, the Burkinabe army said.
The
operation involved hundreds of troops deployed on both sides of the border, an
army statement said. They arrested about 20 suspects, seized guns and hundreds
of motorcycles, and destroyed about 15 improvised explosive devices, it added.
Islamist
militants linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State are waging an insurgency in
Burkina Faso, Niger and neighbouring Mali which has killed thousands of
civilians and displaced about two million in the last few years.
The
insurgents have inflicted heavy casualties on the region's armies, and killed 53 people at a gendarmerie post in Burkina Faso
last month in the worst strike on security forces in years. Since then, more
soldiers have been killed almost every week in scattered attacks.
The
recent operation was the second phase of a joint offensive with Niger called
"Taanli" that began in June.
Four
Burkinabe soldiers were killed and nine others wounded in the operation when
they hit an improvised explosive device in Komandjari province, said the
statement released on Monday.
Burkina
Faso also announced a new cabinet late on Monday, following the appointment of
a new prime minister on Dec. 10.
President
Roch Kabore fired his last prime minister this month after the
escalating security crisis led to street protests, with some people calling for
his resignation.
Kabore
had promised a tighter team that would focus on the country's security
challenges. The cabinet has been reduced to a team of 26 from 34 previously.
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