Five policemen were killed in Burkina Faso on Monday evening, in an ambush by unidentified armed individuals.
Officers say the attack happened on their post in the village of Bilbalogo, in the north-central province of Sanmatenga, as a team of 22 policemen was on its way to replace another on duty.
Burkina Faso’s state news agency says 10 policemen are still missing, while seven others who had been missing have since been found.
Joint search operations with the army are under way in the area to find the missing persons, according to state-owned TV station RTB.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Regional authorities meanwhile have set up a crisis meeting.
On Sunday, at least six people were abducted by unidentified gunmen in the same Centre-North region.
The Burkinabe army said on Monday that it had neutralised 11 alleged terrorists and destroyed some of their bases in the locality, during operations last week.
The country is a frequent target of attacks.
Earlier this month at least 160 people died in an attack on a village in the north.
Since 2015, the violence has resulted in numerous casualties and more than one million people forced from their homes.
Source: BBC