At least 51 soldiers were killed in the latest ambush in northern Burkina Faso’s Sahel Region, with more bodies of soldiers found as the search operations continue, the army said in a statement released on Monday evening.

An ambush targeted a military unit between Deou and Oursi in Oudalan Province last Friday, according to the army’s initial reports, which gave preliminary estimates of casualties at eight deaths, three injuries and several missing among the soldiers. The same source also said that around 60 terrorists were killed during the air counter-offensive.