At least four Burkinabe civilians were reportedly killed Saturday in an airstrike by French forces in the country. A communiqué from the troops said the attack was against jihadists in the region.
The army command's after-action report said about 40 jihadists were killed in the attack, which also affected civilians.
The statement said, "Unfortunately, despite all the measures taken by the Barkhane force and the unit deployed on the ground, four civilians who were in the terrorists' camp lost their lives during the gun battle."
The incident has drawn some criticism from the country's residents, especially in the context of a general campaign for the withdrawal of French troops from the Sahel.
France has more than 5,000 troops who have been deployed in the Sahel region for many years (Barkhane). After a series of standoffs in the Sahel, particularly with Mali, the French government has stated that it is considering withdrawing troops from Mali but will remain in the Sahel.