At least 110 terrorists were killed in Burkina Faso as the government targeted rebel groups in the north and south of the West African country with airstrikes.

The state news agency AIB reported on Tuesday evening.

An army spokesperson confirmed the offensive without saying how many people were killed.

In the north of Burkina Faso, a night-time curfew and a ban on driving certain motorbikes have been in place since last week.

Several armed rebel groups are active in Burkina Faso, a West African country of 21 million, and in the wider Sahel region, which stretches south of the Sahara from the Atlantic to the Red Sea.

Some have sworn allegiance to the terrorist groups Islamic State or al-Qaeda.

The transitional government of President Ibrahim Traoré, which came to power after a military coup in autumn, has so far tried in vain to push back the militants.

Around 70 soldiers died in attacks in February within a few days, and civilians have also repeatedly been victims of the violence.

According to the human rights group Burkina Faso Movement for Human and People’s Rights (MBDHP).

At least 60 civilians were killed as armed militiamen attacked a village in the region of Tapoa in the east of the country on February 26, damaging property and looting cattle.

There were no official casualty figures.

Residents of the region have called for better protection.

The governor of the region said that security measures were underway.

(dpa/NAN)