17 Burkinabè soldiers arrested in Upper West, later released

Security forces in the Sissala East District of the Upper West Region have arrested 17 heavily armed Burkinabè soldiers found in Ghanaian territory.

The men, aged between 20 and 30, were discovered with numerous military items, including firearms and explosives, near the border community of Wuru, about an hour east of Tumu.

Officials of the Ghana Immigration Service said the armed soldiers were setting up a combat position with sandbags when residents raised the alarm.

“We received a distress call from community members about armed elements establishing a combat position. We responded swiftly, successfully ambushed them, and transported them along with their weapons to our office,” an official stated.

During questioning, the men claimed they were on a routine patrol for the Burkinabè army and had lost their way. Despite this, they were detained for several hours until 9:00 p.m., when national authorities ordered their release.

Their weapons were returned the following day after a delegation from the Ghanaian Embassy in Burkina Faso visited.

Wuru is located within the Nazinga Forest range, where residents have previously reported frequent sightings of armed men suspected to be terrorists, affecting farming, hunting, and other local economic activities. Intelligence of the suspected return of such groups began circulating in December 2025.