Nassoumbou attack explained

Conflict:Nassoumbou attack
Partof:the Jihadist insurgency in Burkina Faso, Islamist insurgency in the Sahel and Insurgency in the Maghreb (2002–present)
Date:16 December 2016
Place:Nassoumbou, Soum Province, Burkina Faso
Result:Jihadist victory
Combatant1: Burkina Faso
Combatant2:Ansar ul Islam
Islamic State in the Greater Sahara
Strength1:Unknown
Strength2:28-33
Casualties1:12 killed
4 wounded
Casualties2:2 killed

On 16 December 2016, several dozen heavily armed gunmen attacked an army outpost in Nassoumbou, Soum Province, Burkina Faso, about 30 kilometres (18.6 M) from the border with Mali, leaving at least 12 soldiers dead and 2 others missing. The attack, carried out by about 40 unidentified gunmen riding in pickup trucks and armed with AK-47s and rocket-propelled grenades, was directed at an army base which was significantly damaged in the assault. The soldiers killed were members of an elite army counterterrorism unit.[1] [2] Billed as "murderous" by President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, this was the second direct attack against the Burkina army since jihadist assailants surfaced in the country in early 2015.[3]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Insurgents shoot dead 12 people. Al Jazeera. 16 December 2016. 17 December 2016.
  2. Web site: Burkina Faso militant attack: Twelve soldiers killed. BBC News. 16 December 2016. 17 December 2016.
  3. Web site: Attack left at least 12 soldier dead. Reuters. 16 December 2016. 17 December 2016.