The Islamic State in the Greater Sahara EIGS has claimed responsibility for a devastating ambush that left 17 soldiers and six civilian drivers dead in Burkina Faso’s volatile Sahel region.
The attack occurred Sunday near Katchirga village, along the route between Dori and Seytenga, as a convoy carrying goods to Niger was targeted. Eyewitnesses described the attackers as heavily armed and highly coordinated, striking with precision and overwhelming the convoy.
EIGS, in a Tuesday statement, boasted of “precise strikes” that destroyed five military vehicles and left three more disabled. Four soldiers remain missing.
The convoy, escorted by military personnel from both Nigeria and Burkina Faso, suffered casualties on both sides. While details from the Burkinabe side remain unclear, a secure source confirmed the attack’s heavy toll.
This ambush underscores the persistent threat of insurgency in the Sahel, where militant groups continue to target security forces and civilians alike.