Burkina Faso armed forces kill extremist leader, 5 others

A group of soldiers of the Burkina Faso Army patrols a rural area during a joint operation with the French Army in the Soum region in northern Burkina Faso on November 10, 2019. (AFP)

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso: Burkina Faso’s armed forces say soldiers have killed an extremist leader and five supporters in Nahouri Province in an operation to dismantle the group operating in the country’s south-central region.
The statement Friday by the armed forces’ chief of staff said forces also seized a large cache of weapons.
It identified the leader as Abdoul Hadi, who is known to have helped extremist group Ansarul Islam establish a presence in the area.
Extremist groups have been increasing attacks in the West African nation in recent months, forcing nearly a half-million people to flee their homes.