The on-site intelligence team said JAMA'A NUSRAT UL-ISLAT WA AL-MUSLIMIN (JNIM) claimed the attack on the Jibo military post.

According to an online activity by armed groups, an al-Qaeda branch killed 200 soldiers in an attack on the Burkina Faso Army Base this week.

Security sources told the news agency that the base in Digibo in northern Digibo was also under attack, with police stations and markets targeting it. Despite no formal losses, three Jibo residents told Reuters that dozens of soldiers and civilians were killed.

Al Jazeera cannot independently verify the death toll. Burkina Faso military sources told Al Jazeera that armed groups exaggerated the number of casualties.

The U.S.-based field intelligence group tracks the online activities of armed groups, he said Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islim wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) filed a claim in a formal statement.

"In the past month, JNIM activity in Brkina Faso has increased, causing a large number of casualties, and this action has emerged."

The group had previously said that Ousmane Dicko, head of JNIM in Brkina Faso, appeared in a video urging Djibo residents to leave the town for their own safety.

Al Jazeera's Nicolas Haque's Senegal Dakar reported that the attack took place for several days.

"The firepower of the armed groups is one of the main military posts that should have protected this town of about 200,000 people," said Al Jazeera's Nicolas Haque, who is from Dakar, Senegal.

“This is one of the deadliest attacks in Burkina Faso, like Ibrahim Traore (the military leader of Burkina Faso) has been saying that the country has been gaining territory and encouraging people to go home, but the latest attack proves that this latest attack,” Hack said. ”

A video circulated on social media by Al Qaeda members warned people to leave their homes and said they would occupy more territory.

"What we're seeing here is the key point where these armed groups that usually attack villages are now trying to take over the towns. This is a major blow to the armed forces in Burkina Faso," Hack said.

According to Site, Jnim claimed responsibility for another attack on military posts in Burkina Faso this week, which the group said 60 soldiers were killed.

The attack highlights the difficulties faced by the three Sahel countries in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, which are ruled by military leaders, and is facing difficulties from armed groups.

Burkina Faso authorities have not commented on the latest attack.

On-site intelligence said there was a noticeable attack in the only attack in Burkina town where Janime combatants raided the military post and killed soldiers, but did not specify what day it would take.

Military governments came to power in Burkina Faso in 2022, but they largely failed to provide stability as it is estimated that more than 60% of the country are beyond the government's control.