Jihadist attack on Yirgou residents leads to 46 deaths, many injured

The death toll from Monday's militant attack on a central Burkina Faso village has risen to 46 civilians, up from a previous toll of six, a government spokesman said on Friday.

Rémy Dandjinou said on state television that jihadists attacked the ethnic Mossi village of Yirgou after nightfall on Monday in an effort to stoke ethnic conflict. Yirgou residents killed seven Fulani herders in a nearby area in apparent retaliation the following day, the government has said.

(With inputs from agencies.)