GOURMA – In a significant military engagement, the 20th Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR) of Burkina Faso achieved a decisive victory against terrorist groups in the Gourma region. This confrontation occurred as the battalion was en route to resupply operations in Gayéri.

According to Burkina Information Agency, the 20th BIR encountered and engaged with several hundred heavily armed terrorists on Tuesday near the town of Yamba. The terrorists launched a surprise assault aimed at preventing the military’s resupply efforts but were repelled by the rapid response of the battalion and the support of aerial forces. The air support proved crucial, as operators targeted large groups of terrorists, delivering multiple effective strikes that ultimately forced the assailants into retreat.

The battle resulted in a significant number of terrorist casualties and the destruction of their equipment. On the battlefield, many were found deceased, with their motorcycles and weapons scattered under the trees. The survivors fled towards Ouro Aou, a small location approximately 40 km east of Gayéri, where they were subsequently neutralized in a targeted bombing operation.

This military action followed another successful operation by the 20th BIR on June 24, where they disrupted cattle thieves and uncovered a large arms and ammunition depot near the Burkina-Mali border. The stolen cattle, numbering in the thousands, were recovered following a precise missile strike on the thieves, who were hiding in abandoned hamlets to evade aerial detection.