Six persons, including four teachers, have been killed in a suspected jihadist attack in southern Burkina Faso near the country’s border with Ghana.

According to a report by dailguidenetwork.com, security officials and local sources have placed the incident in the town of Bittou where a group of gunmen reportedly opened fire on a group leading to the death of the six.

The report citing Channelstv said the attackers following the shooting on Monday fled into a nearby forest of Nouhuo and are being pursued by security forces.

A regional federation of education unions said four teachers at the local high school, including the head teacher, were among the six fatalities.

Burkina Faso is one of the countries within the West African sub-region battling with insurgency and terrorist activities.

Parts of the country are no longer under the control of the government with multiple attacks launched by the jihadists leading to the death of several civilians and security officers over the last 8 years.

The instability within the country and its military led to two coups in 2022.

There are currently concerns about jihadist advances towards countries on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea including Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Ivory Coast.