There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, which is the third major assault on Ouagadougou in just over two years.
Previous attacks were conducted by allies of al Qaeda in reprisal for Burkina Faso’s participation in a regional fight against Islamist militants.
Speaking on state television, government spokesman Remi Dandjinou said the unidentified gunmen killed five Burkinabe soldiers and wounded around 50 others at the military headquarters. Two members of Burkina Faso’s paramilitary gendarmes were killed defending the embassy, he said.
An emergency medical post was established at the municipal stadium.
A government statement said four gunmen were“neutralized” at the French embassy. The defense minister said three assailants were killed at the army headquarters.
The police said one member of the group, who had attempted to flee near the city’s main market, was being surrounded by security forces.
A French diplomatic source said that no French nationals were killed in the attacks.
Witnesses said masked gunmen attacked the downtown army headquarters at around 10 a.m. (1000 GMT).
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