The Sahel region has experienced "a devastating surge in terrorist attacks against civilian and military targets" in recent months according to the region's United Nations envoy.

Mohamed Ibn Chambas made the comments when he was speaking to the UN Security Council on Wednesday.

He said that the "unprecedented terrorist violence" had shaken public confidence in the region.

He said attacks have increased five-fold in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger since 2016.

More than 4,000 deaths were reported in 2019 compared with an estimated 770 deaths three years before.