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Gunmen Attack Hotel in Burkina Faso’s Capital Gunmen Attack Hotel in Burkina Faso’s Capital
(35 minutes later)
OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso — Shots rang out Friday night near a hotel frequented by Westerners in the business district of Burkina Faso’s capital. OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso — Gunfire was reported on Friday night near a hotel frequented by Westerners in the business district of Burkina Faso’s capital.
Witnesses said men with scarves over their heads had entered the avenue leading up to the Splendid Hotel, shooting into the air. Fires were burning near the site, possibly cars set alight, they said. Witnesses said three or four men with scarves over their heads shot into the air outside the Splendid Hotel and then entered. Fires were burning near the site, possibly cars set alight, they said.
According to Reuters, gunmen emerged from the hotel and fired into the air to keep crowds away. A vehicle carrying security personnel arrived and shortly afterward and intense gun battle began. The security forces said the gunmen were holding hostages inside the hotel, but it was unclear how many. Witnesses said three dead bodies could be seen in the hotel’s front bar.
According to Reuters, gunmen emerged from the hotel and fired into the air to keep crowds away. A vehicle carrying security personnel arrived later and an intense gun battle began.
The episode put the city on edge as theatergoers were abruptly told to go home during a performance in the city center.The episode put the city on edge as theatergoers were abruptly told to go home during a performance in the city center.
In November, the West African nation held its first competitive election in decades. About three million people cast ballots, many of them celebrating as they crowded into polling stations to choose Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, a former prime minister, as their leader.In November, the West African nation held its first competitive election in decades. About three million people cast ballots, many of them celebrating as they crowded into polling stations to choose Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, a former prime minister, as their leader.
The president before him, Blaise Compaoré, was ousted in a coup in October 2014 after protests against his attempts to change the Constitution and extend his time in office. A security regiment loyal to Mr. Compaoré staged a brief coup in September and has since been disbanded. The president before him, Blaise Compaoré, was deposed in October 2014 after protests against his attempts to change the Constitution and extend his time in office. A security regiment loyal to Mr. Compaoré staged a brief coup in September and has since been disbanded.
For years, Burkina Faso had seemed largely immune to the jihadist violence that plagued two of its neighbors, Mali and Niger. That changed in April last year, when a group that later pledged allegiance to the Islamic State burst into a manganese mine in the remote countryside and abducted a Romanian employee. A month later, an Islamic State affiliate based in the Sahara issued a statement saying it was holding the hostage and warning the Romanian government that it would be accountable if it failed to meet demands for his release.
In November, security forces in Burkina Faso arrested 13 people and seized bomb-making materials in the safe house the group was using in the western part of the country, near the border with Mali. Officials said the suspects were planning a “large-scale attack.”
Mali is home to the new Islamic State affiliate, to Al Qaeda’s North African franchise and to a group allied with the international terrorist Mokhtar Belmokhtar.