An Irish conservation worker is among a group of foreigners who were abducted and have been reportedly killed in Burkina Faso.
The Irish national, two Spanish citizens and a Burkinabe soldier went missing after being attacked by gunmen during an anti-poaching patrol, the government said today.
A special military wildlife unit was ambushed yesterday morning while travelling with the foreigners, 15 kilometres from their base at the eastern town of Natiaboni.
Yendifimba Jean-Claude Louari, the mayor of Fada N’gourma, said that a large operation is under way to locate them.
It is understood that security and government officials said that two military lorries and 12 motorcycles and guns were also stolen during the attack yesterday.
In a statement, a spokeswoman for the Department of Foreign Affairs said: “The department is aware of the reports and is liaising closely with international partners regarding the situation on the ground.
“The department does not comment on the details of any specific case.”
