OUAGADOUGOU, August 12, 2018,(AltAfrica) — Burkina Faso State TV reports that five gendarmes and one civilian have been killed between the rural communes of Boungou and Ougarou in the nation’s far east.

It reports the vehicle hit an explosive device late Saturday while gendarmes were escorting mining workers to their extraction site.

This comes as Islamic extremists are moving to the region, where they can hide in the thick forested areas, and are launching more attacks on security forces.

Governor Ousmane Traore said his eastern territory was under threat by young men who had received extremist training in Mali and have now returned to launch a katiba,or brigade.

Earlier this month, suspected jihadis destroyed a vehicle while trying to free detained extremists.

In February they attacked and killed a policeman, wounding two others.