Police: Restaurant under attack by gunmen in Burkina Faso

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AP) - Witnesses in Burkina Faso's capital are reporting gunfire in the downtown area, and authorities say it's believed that a Turkish restaurant is under attack.

Authorities in Burkina Faso say the death toll from an attack by suspected jihadists in the capital has risen to 17.

The gunfire began around 9 p.m. Sunday night in Ouagadougou. 

Police spokesman Capt. Guy Ye told The Associated Press that authorities believe a Turkish restaurant in the area came under attack. Other witnesses said an Indian-owned hotel is also nearby.

The reports of gunfire immediately sparked fear in a country where a previous attack by Islamic extremists on a popular restaurant left 30 people dead in January 2016.

Burkina Faso also has seen a surge in militant attacks along its northern border with Mali.