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| Mali attack: Survivors insist army is underestimating gunmen numbers as security forces hunt 'three suspects' | Mali attack: Survivors insist army is underestimating gunmen numbers as security forces hunt 'three suspects' |
| (1 day later) | |
| Security forces in Mali have said they are searching for three suspects connected with the siege attack on the Radisson Blu hotel in the capital Bamako, on Friday. At least 19 people were killed during the assault. | Security forces in Mali have said they are searching for three suspects connected with the siege attack on the Radisson Blu hotel in the capital Bamako, on Friday. At least 19 people were killed during the assault. |
| There was confusion about how many were involved in the attack. An army major, General Modibo Nama Traore, initially said there were 10 insurgents involved, but changed that to the two dead this morning. But this was contradicted by survivors of the assault and staff who insisted that more gunmen had been part of the assault team. | There was confusion about how many were involved in the attack. An army major, General Modibo Nama Traore, initially said there were 10 insurgents involved, but changed that to the two dead this morning. But this was contradicted by survivors of the assault and staff who insisted that more gunmen had been part of the assault team. |
| Moussa Toure, the hotel’s technical director, insisted: “There were definitely more than two who took part in the attack. We also have no doubt that they were helped by others to plan this and these people have not been found.” Papis Doumbiya, who had gone for a meeting at the hotel when gunfire erupted, maintained that “there were at least four of them”. | Moussa Toure, the hotel’s technical director, insisted: “There were definitely more than two who took part in the attack. We also have no doubt that they were helped by others to plan this and these people have not been found.” Papis Doumbiya, who had gone for a meeting at the hotel when gunfire erupted, maintained that “there were at least four of them”. |
| The attack was the latest bloody episode in a long and vicious conflict in the country. But coming in the wake of the Paris and Beirut attacks and the bombing of the Russian aircraft over Sinai, it was also to highlight how international jihad is seeking to maintain its momentum with “spectacular” missions. | The attack was the latest bloody episode in a long and vicious conflict in the country. But coming in the wake of the Paris and Beirut attacks and the bombing of the Russian aircraft over Sinai, it was also to highlight how international jihad is seeking to maintain its momentum with “spectacular” missions. |
| President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita of Mali has declared a 10-day state of emergency and three days of national mourning. Standing outside the hotel with smell of burning lingering in the air, he struck a defiant note, saying “Mali is not and never will be closed for business. Paris isn’t, New York isn’t, Moscow isn’t, so why should we be?” | President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita of Mali has declared a 10-day state of emergency and three days of national mourning. Standing outside the hotel with smell of burning lingering in the air, he struck a defiant note, saying “Mali is not and never will be closed for business. Paris isn’t, New York isn’t, Moscow isn’t, so why should we be?” |
| The assault was claimed by two allied insurgencies, al-Mourabitoun and al-Qaeda in Maghreb (AQIM) which had almost taken over the country in an offensive before French forces intervened and pushed them back. French President François Hollande, who has said his country was at war after the Paris murders, declared that France would stand by its former colony. | The assault was claimed by two allied insurgencies, al-Mourabitoun and al-Qaeda in Maghreb (AQIM) which had almost taken over the country in an offensive before French forces intervened and pushed them back. French President François Hollande, who has said his country was at war after the Paris murders, declared that France would stand by its former colony. |
| The French defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian stated that Mokhtar Belmokhtar, the AQIM commander, was “probably” behind the raid. Belmokhtar, who rates high in the jihadist hierarchy, has several times been reported to have died in French and US air strikes, the last an American one in Libya five months ago. | The French defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian stated that Mokhtar Belmokhtar, the AQIM commander, was “probably” behind the raid. Belmokhtar, who rates high in the jihadist hierarchy, has several times been reported to have died in French and US air strikes, the last an American one in Libya five months ago. |
| In Bamako, the security forces showed photographs of the victims of the hotel raid, riddled with bullets and lying on rubble and glass strewn floor. The American air worker Anita Datar, one of those who was killed, was the former partner of one of Hillary Clinton’s former advisers. | In Bamako, the security forces showed photographs of the victims of the hotel raid, riddled with bullets and lying on rubble and glass strewn floor. The American air worker Anita Datar, one of those who was killed, was the former partner of one of Hillary Clinton’s former advisers. |
| Ms Clinton described Ms Datar as “the loving mother of a wonderful seven-year-old boy. My heart breaks thinking of the burden her son will now bear on his small shoulders and the courage he will have to show in the days ahead”. | Ms Clinton described Ms Datar as “the loving mother of a wonderful seven-year-old boy. My heart breaks thinking of the burden her son will now bear on his small shoulders and the courage he will have to show in the days ahead”. |
| The other victims included two Belgians, one of whom was Geoffrey Dieudonne, an official at the parliament in Belgium’s Wallonia region. Three Chinese men died: Zhou Tianxiang, Wang Xuanshang and Chang Xuehui, who were executives at the China Railway Construction Corp. | The other victims included two Belgians, one of whom was Geoffrey Dieudonne, an official at the parliament in Belgium’s Wallonia region. Three Chinese men died: Zhou Tianxiang, Wang Xuanshang and Chang Xuehui, who were executives at the China Railway Construction Corp. |
| Chinese President Xi Jinping condemned the “cruel and savage” attack. He called for the relevant departments to boost security work “outside China’s borders”. | Chinese President Xi Jinping condemned the “cruel and savage” attack. He called for the relevant departments to boost security work “outside China’s borders”. |
| “China will strengthen cooperation with the international community, resolutely crack down on violent terrorist operations that devastate innocent lives and safeguard world peace and security,” the country’s foreign ministry quoted him as saying. | “China will strengthen cooperation with the international community, resolutely crack down on violent terrorist operations that devastate innocent lives and safeguard world peace and security,” the country’s foreign ministry quoted him as saying. |
| The Russian foreign ministry has said in a statement that six employees of the Volga-Dnepr airline had been killed in the hotel. Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a telegram to President Keita expressing condolences, the Kremlin said. Mr Putin said “the widest international cooperation” was needed to confront global terrorism. | The Russian foreign ministry has said in a statement that six employees of the Volga-Dnepr airline had been killed in the hotel. Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a telegram to President Keita expressing condolences, the Kremlin said. Mr Putin said “the widest international cooperation” was needed to confront global terrorism. |
| A few of the survivors claimed they had heard the gunmen in the attack speak English, although there is no history of British jihadists joining insurgencies in Francophone west Africa. | A few of the survivors claimed they had heard the gunmen in the attack speak English, although there is no history of British jihadists joining insurgencies in Francophone west Africa. |
| But Sekouba “Bambino” Diabate, a well-known Guinean singer, insisted he heard some of the attackers in the room next to him speaking to each other in English. “I heard them say in English: ‘Did you load it? Let’s go,’” he said. “I wasn’t able to see them because in these kinds of situations it’s hard.” | But Sekouba “Bambino” Diabate, a well-known Guinean singer, insisted he heard some of the attackers in the room next to him speaking to each other in English. “I heard them say in English: ‘Did you load it? Let’s go,’” he said. “I wasn’t able to see them because in these kinds of situations it’s hard.” |
| French police and security officers were carrying out forensic tests inside the hotel. “They don’t tell us anything about what they have found,” said a Malian policeman with a shrug. “This part is a French show. We need to tell the people that all the attackers are dead, or not if that is the case. If they know the truth they will not panic.” | French police and security officers were carrying out forensic tests inside the hotel. “They don’t tell us anything about what they have found,” said a Malian policeman with a shrug. “This part is a French show. We need to tell the people that all the attackers are dead, or not if that is the case. If they know the truth they will not panic.” |
| The shooting has brought back memories for some of two years ago when the jihadists were closing in on Bamako. Refugees who had experienced the vicious form of Sharia which had been imposed in the certain parts of the country by the Islamists, gave shocking accounts of what they seen. One was of a pair of steel scissors forged by a local blacksmith in Timbuktu to amputate limbs, of summary executions, whippings and brandings and destruction of shrines, burning of ancient manuscripts. | The shooting has brought back memories for some of two years ago when the jihadists were closing in on Bamako. Refugees who had experienced the vicious form of Sharia which had been imposed in the certain parts of the country by the Islamists, gave shocking accounts of what they seen. One was of a pair of steel scissors forged by a local blacksmith in Timbuktu to amputate limbs, of summary executions, whippings and brandings and destruction of shrines, burning of ancient manuscripts. |
| French special forces halted the Islamists’ march on the capital and then drove them back in just over three weeks. But AQIM has now reestablished itself in Mali, as have the Touareg and regional separatists. The Malian armed forces, who are trained by French and European troops, including British, are involved in fierce clashes with these fighters in the north, driving some people towards the capital again. | French special forces halted the Islamists’ march on the capital and then drove them back in just over three weeks. But AQIM has now reestablished itself in Mali, as have the Touareg and regional separatists. The Malian armed forces, who are trained by French and European troops, including British, are involved in fierce clashes with these fighters in the north, driving some people towards the capital again. |
| Hania Bakr Toure and her family had fled their home in Gao for Bamako two years ago after seeing a young couple whipped unconscious. Their offence had been to have an affair which had resulted in an illegitimate child; the public were ordered to watch by the Islamist fighters. | Hania Bakr Toure and her family had fled their home in Gao for Bamako two years ago after seeing a young couple whipped unconscious. Their offence had been to have an affair which had resulted in an illegitimate child; the public were ordered to watch by the Islamist fighters. |
| Following French intervention, Hania’s family went back home. They returned to the capital four months ago after violence returned to Gao. “After a while [the Islamists] started to come back in small numbers. They targeted those who had criticised them, they killed a few. We didn’t feel safe, so we came here,” she said. “But now look what happened at the Radisson, Maybe nowhere is safe in Mali now.” | Following French intervention, Hania’s family went back home. They returned to the capital four months ago after violence returned to Gao. “After a while [the Islamists] started to come back in small numbers. They targeted those who had criticised them, they killed a few. We didn’t feel safe, so we came here,” she said. “But now look what happened at the Radisson, Maybe nowhere is safe in Mali now.” |
| The UN Security Council said it condemned “the horrifying terrorist attack” in Mali, adding that the authorities should be helped to investigate the attack swiftly and to bring the perpetrators to justice. | The UN Security Council said it condemned “the horrifying terrorist attack” in Mali, adding that the authorities should be helped to investigate the attack swiftly and to bring the perpetrators to justice. |
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