The military administration of Burkina Faso has declared a recruitment drive to add 5,000 new soldiers to the war against Islamists.

The recruits must be between the ages of 20 and 35 and willing to commit to at least five years of military service, according to Defense Minister Colonel Kassoum Coulibaly.

Almost 50 soldiers were murdered a week ago in the nation's north.

At least 15 more people are said to have perished on Monday in an ambush carried out by terrorists connected to both the Islamic State and al-Qaeda.

Over two million people have been displaced since the Islamic conflict started in 2015.