For years, Burkina Faso, located in Africa's Sahel region, has been facing the threat of terrorist groups that have committed various crimes, ranging from mass killings and kidnappings of civilians to drug trafficking and arms smuggling.
The Sahel is vast, making it difficult for law enforcement to monitor and control the movements of these groups.
Burkina Faso's army announced that it had eliminated 103 terrorists, including the leader of a local al-Qaeda group, describing his death as a "devastating blow" to the terrorist organization, which operates in much of the West African country.
According to a statement published by Burkina Faso's official news agency, citing security and military sources, an army patrol was attacked by hundreds of terrorists on July 31 near the village of Nabadi in the Koulbiligou region, located in the eastern center of Burkina Faso.
"Thanks to the courage of the soldiers, the enemy suffered a crushing defeat and fled, leaving 103 bodies on the battlefield," the sources said, adding that among the dead was a senior leader of a local terrorist group.
Known in jihadist circles as "Abu al-Darda," 37-year-old Dicko Tidjane, a Burkina Faso national, joined al-Qaeda early in his life and quickly rose to become the leader of a terrorist group with at least 250 fighters.
The group led by Abu al-Darda was responsible for numerous terrorist attacks against security forces and self-defense militias.
Abu al-Darda joined al-Qaeda early in his life, received training in Burkina Faso, and eventually rose to prominence leading attacks in Kolbelego province.
