OUAGADOUGOU (Burkina Faso): Authorities say 55 people have been killed in northern Burkina Faso in a suspected extremist attack. Suspected militants targeted civilians in Seytenga in Seno province, government spokesman Wendkouni Joel Lionel Bilgo said at a news conference. While the government put the official toll at 55, others put the figure far higher.

It is the latest attack in the West African country where mounting violence is blamed on religious extremists.

Attacks linked to al-Qaida and ISIS are soaring in Burkina Faso, particularly in the north. Religious extremists, mostly anti-Christian, killed at least 160 people in an attack in the town of Solhan in June 2021.

In January, mutinous soldiers ousted the democratically elected president, promising to secure the nation, but violence has only increased. The government is asking people to remain united in the fight against the insurgents.

While no group claimed the weekend attack, conflict analysts say it was likely carried out by ISIS.

“In recent weeks, the ISIS in the Greater Sahara has been the most aggressive group, notably in Seno and Oudalan provinces. In addition to attacks against security forces, civilians have also been targeted,” said Rida Lyammouri, a senior fellow at the Policy Center for the New South, a Moroccan-based organization focused on economics and policy.

“This is a major blow to security forces and puts them on the back foot again, indicating they are far from being able to secure the area and protect civilians,” he said.

Nearly 5,000 people have died over the last two years in Burkina Faso because of violence blamed on religious extremists. Another 2 million people have fled their homes, deepening the country’s humanitarian crisis.

On Pentecost Sunday, gunmen fired at people inside and outside St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo, located in the southwestern state of Ondo in Nigeria. At least 50 people were reportedly killed during Mass on June 5. Dozens more were injured and rushed to nearby hospitals.