Fifty-three combatants were killed and 30 more combatants injured on Monday during "heavy fightings" with terrorists in northern Burkina Faso, the army said in a statement Tuesday.

According to the statement, several tens of terrorists were neutralized during the clashes in Koumbri of Yatenga province, adding that operations were still ongoing Tuesday.

Since 2015, insecurity in the West African country has claimed many lives and displaced thousands of others.