An armed attacker has killed around 100 civilians in a town in northern Burkina Faso. It is the deadliest attack since the West African country was controlled by jihadists linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State militant group about five years ago.
The event took place during the night of June 4 and the morning of June 5 in the town of Solhan, which is located near the border with Niger.
The militants also burned down houses, the government said in a media release.
The President of Burkina Faso, Roch Marc Christian Kabore, called the attack a "barbaric" act.
Local officials warned that the number of victims could increase.
Attacks by jihadists linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State have killed thousands and displaced an estimated 3 million others across the Sahel region, particularly in the border area between Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
An anti-terrorism coalition known as the Group of Five countries – Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali Mauritania and Nigeria – is trying to drive the jihadists out of the area.
