Bodies of at least 180 men have been found in mass graves in northern Burkina Faso.
According to a Human Rights Watch report, the graves were found in a region where government forces are fighting a jihadist insurgency.
The men had been buried under bridges, in fields and along major roadways near the town of Djibo in groups of up to 20.
Human Rights Watch said there is evidence they were victims of extrajudicial killings by the army. The group urged the government to find out who turned the area into what it called a “killing field”.
Defence Minister Moumina Cheriff Sy suggested militant groups wearing stolen army uniforms might be blamed.
The government says it will investigate the claims.
