Nine soldiers among 15 killed in Burkina Faso’s north

By SAM MEDNICK
Associated Press

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AP) — Fifteen people have been killed in coordinated attacks in Burkina Faso’s Sahel region. Nine soldiers were among those killed, and two dozen people were wounded. Attacks linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State are escalating in the country. The new military junta came to power in January promising to secure the country, however, it’s struggling to stem the violence. With attacks happening amid talks of dialogue, it is a “confusing” situation, said Ousmane Amirou Dicko, the Emir of Liptako. Analysts have argued the indiscriminate attacks cast doubts on the administration’s ability to contain and subdue jihadis.