Four alleged terrorist strikes in Burkina Faso this week killed at least 40 volunteer military men and 39 regular soldiers, according to army and security sources on Friday.
On Monday, the two bloodiest battles occurred in the Centre-Nord region, killing dozens of people.
According to the army, 33 members of the auxiliary force Volunteers for the Defense of the Fatherland (VDP) were killed in the combat at Noaka in Sanmatenga province on Friday.
According to the army, 50 "terrorists" were also killed in the conflict, and a substantial amount of military equipment was confiscated.
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The same day, a supply caravan guarded by soldiers was attacked in Namsiguia after leaving Djibo, which insurgents had besieged for months.
"The fighting was particularly violent, resulting in significant losses," the army stated, citing a preliminary death toll of 31 soldiers and three VDP members.
The statement went on to say that authorities were still seeking for a dozen missing males.
According to a local VDP official, a third attack occurred on Monday in Gayeri, in the eastern province of Komondjari, killing four volunteers.
On Tuesday, older people were ambushed in the Tia area in the west's Bolucle du Mouhoun district.
According to an NGO assessment, more than 10,000 civilians, army, and police have been slain in Burkina, one of the world's poorest countries, since a jihadist insurgency stormed in from Mali in 2015.
At least two million people have been forced to flee their homes. Anger within the military over the insurgency's failure to be crushed triggered two coups in Burkina Faso last year.
