Gunmen abduct, kill inhabitants in northern Burkina Faso

Unidentified gunmen abducted and shot dead many villagers on Saturday in Pobe Mengao, northern Soum province of Burkina Faso, witnesses told Xinhua on Sunday.

"Armed individuals stormed into the village and abducted inhabitants. It led to panic," said a local elected representative in Djibo, capital of Soum province, about 200 km north to the country's capital Ouagadougou.

"At least a dozen of persons have been found dead after abduction," a local inhabitant also said.

Local security sources have confirmed the attack, but not given further details.

Burkina Faso is facing a worsening security situation, mainly in northern regions.

Since 2015, terrorist attacks have claimed over 500 lives and displaced thousands of others in the West African country.