OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AP) — Burkina Faso's prime minister says his county is in shock following the attack by gunmen which killed at least 37 employees traveling to a Canadian-owned mine.

Prime Minister Christophe Dabire, in a tweet Thursday, said the West African country is still reeling from the news of the attack and sent his condolences to the families of those killed.

The attack on Wednesday happened about 25 miles (40 kilometers) from the Boungou mine, owned Canada's Semafo company, in eastern Burkina Faso. The gunmen attacked a convoy of five buses carrying mine employees and which was accompanied by a military escort.

The area has become dangerous for Semafo, which operates two gold mines in Burkina Faso.