Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), Feb 19 (IANS) At least eight people were killed and nine others injured when the civilian transport vehicle they were travelling in was ambushed by unidentified gunmen on Thursday in the Sahel region of Burkina Faso, an official statement said.

The ambush occurred on Thursday morning about 4 km to Tokabangou, in Markoye Commune, when the vehicle was heading toward a market, the statement said, adding that an operation is underway to hold the perpetrators accountable, the Xinhua news agency reported.

Since 2015, Burkina Faso has faced a worsening security situation with terrorist attacks having claimed over 1,000 lives and displaced thousands of others.

--IANS int/rs