French forces kill 20 jihadists on Mali-Burkina Faso border

BAMAKO, Mali — French forces fighting extremism in Africa’s Sahel region say they have killed at least 20 jihadists in a forest on the border between Mali and Burkina Faso.

A statement Sunday from Operation Barkhane says soldiers also discovered large amounts of arms, ammunition, rocket launchers and explosives in the Foulsare forest.

A resident in a nearby village said planes dropped bombs in the area late Saturday and many jihadists fled by foot.

The Burkina Faso-Mali border region has been increasingly unstable. A group of extremists from Burkina Faso who are ethnic Peul have been launching attacks this year in the border region against Burkina Faso forces.