On national television, Ouedraogo stated that the attackers “made no distinction, targeting women, children, the elderly, men.”

By phone, a resident informed AFP that “terrorist groups attacked the village, killing numerous civilians and security personnel” on Saturday morning at around 9:00 am.

According to a security source who wished to remain anonymous, there were “several dozen dead,” including both security personnel and civilians.

The source said that the majority of the “numerous wounded” were transported to a hospital in Kaya, the provincial center, which is some 45 kilometers (28 miles) away.

As of yet, no one has taken credit for the attack.

“Young civilians, who came out in large numbers to help the soldiers dig trenches around the town, to protect themselves from possible attacks by armed terrorist groups” made up the majority of the victims, according to another local.

“The response of the soldiers” and backup troops “made it possible to neutralize several terrorists and avoid a greater tragedy,” according to a second security source.

Over a hundred injured individuals were sent to the biggest hospital in the city, according to a Kaya hospital source.

According to an internal memo obtained by AFP, the center’s CEO requested that all staff members report in order to handle the “emergency linked to a massive influx of patients since the morning of (Saturday) August 24.”

According to Security Minister Mahamadou Sana, despite “a response and air support,” civilians were murdered in the incident.

According to Sana, there were also dead soldiers and members of the Volunteers for the Defence of the Fatherland, a civilian militia that aids the armed forces.

The leaders of the September 2022 coup in Burkina Faso drove out diplomats and soldiers from the country that had once ruled it as a colony, France, and turned to Russia for military support.