Unidentified gunmen attacked civilians heading to a market in northern Burkina Faso early Monday, leaving 10 dead and four others missing, a source said.

The attack took place in the Markoye area of the Sahel reserve, the source from the Security Ministry, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Anadolu Agency.

There was no immediate official communication, but the area bordering Mali and Niger regularly witnesses attacks by terrorists with links to the Daesh/ISIS terrorist group.

At least five police officers were killed Sunday in a similar attack in the north of the country and around 15 “terrorists” were killed in the ensuing clash, the Security Ministry said.

The latest attack occurred as Burkina Faso marked the 61st anniversary of its army with a ceremony focused on the fight against terrorism.

At the function, President Roch Marc Kabore hinted that the national strategy to fight terrorism will be rolled out in the coming days.

Noting that the fight against terrorist will be long and difficult, he called on the population to be resilient.

"If we put ourselves in the position of those who spend their time whining, I think we will not defeat terrorism,” he said.

He also noted that the fight against terrorism should not be left to the defense and security forces alone but must be a collective work.

"We will get through it together, or not at all,” he added.

Around 480 civilians were killed in attacks orchestrated by insurgents in Burkina Faso between May and August, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).

More than 1.4 million people in the country have been forced to flee their homes due to the attacks, it said.