Gunfire and an explosion have been heard near the army headquarters and the French embassy in the capital of Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou.
Witnesses have reported seeing armed men getting out of a car and opening fire, according to AFP news agency.
Pictures from the scene showed a cloud of black smoke rising into the sky. It is not yet clear who is behind the apparent attack.
“An attack is under way,” the French ambassador tweeted.
The US embassy in the city has advised people to seek shelter.
@Usembassyouaga has received reports of gunfire in downtown Ouagadougou. Avoid the area of downtown Ouagadougou. Seek secure shelter. Monitor local media for updates. Check back here for more updates from the embassy #Lwili
— USEmbassyOuaga (@Usembassyouaga) March 2, 2018
