A source in Kafanchan told Sahara Reporters the gunmen struck around 6pm local time in an area called Zangan, in Kaura Local Government area.

The assailants burnt down houses that were only re-built recently after the whole village, which is on the top of a hill, was sacked last year in a similar attack.

"Only soldiers have entered the village, but we have three injured victims now who are between life and death. We fled and left several people at their mercy aside those killed whose number we cannot say now because it is dark and we cannot search the forest now,"the source said.

Attacks on innocent civilians in the area have become very common since 2011, with many people left dead.