Suspected extremist attack kills 16 soldiers in Burkina Faso

By SAM MEDNICK
Associated Press

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AP) — The Burkina Faso military says that an attack by suspected Islamic extremist rebels on a military unit in Burkina Faso has killed at least 16 security forces and injured many others. A statement by the armed forces said that a dozen military soldiers and four volunteer fighters who work alongside the army died when their military unit was attacked at 5 a.m. on Friday in Namissiguima town in the Center North region. It said an additional 21 soldiers were wounded and equipment was also damaged, said the statement. Burkina Faso is grappling with jihadi violence linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group that’s killed thousands and displaced some 2 million people.