20 killed in attack on gold mine in Burkina Faso

About 20 civilians were killed in a night attack on a gold mine in Burkina Faso's restive north, local sources said Saturday.

"Dozens of armed men travelling on motorcycles attacked the gold mine in Kougdiguin," on the night of Thursday to Friday in the Namentenga province, a local said.

"Sadly we registered about 20 deaths and an equal number of people wounded," the source said.

Another local source put the death toll at 22, adding that "women and children" figured among the victims.

A hospital source said there were about 10 people admitted with injuries, adding that others could have been undergoing treatment in other health facilities.

On March 12, 11 people were killed in an attack on an informal gold mine in northern Burkina Faso. This came two days after a similar attack on another gold mine near the Niger border that claimed some 10 lives.

Nearly 80 people have been killed in the last three weeks in attacks blamed on jihadists.

Burkina Faso's junta leader has announced the setting up of local committees to seek dialogue with armed jihadist groups and help restore peace.

After gripping Mali and Niger, jihadist violence has since 2015 claimed some 2,000 lives and displaced more than 1.7 million people in Burkina Faso.

• Africa