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| Gunmen Storm Hotel and Seize Hostages in Burkina Faso | Gunmen Storm Hotel and Seize Hostages in Burkina Faso |
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| OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso — Gunmen took over a luxury hotel popular with Westerners in the business district of Burkina Faso’s capital on Friday night, taking hostages and engaging the security forces in an intense firefight. | OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso — Gunmen took over a luxury hotel popular with Westerners in the business district of Burkina Faso’s capital on Friday night, taking hostages and engaging the security forces in an intense firefight. |
| Al Qaeda’s North African branch, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, claimed responsibility for the ongoing attack, according to the SITE Intel Group, which monitors jihadist activity. | |
| Witnesses said the attack began when gunmen set fire to vehicles parked next to the Splendid Hotel in Ouagadougou and then fired into the air before entering. | Witnesses said the attack began when gunmen set fire to vehicles parked next to the Splendid Hotel in Ouagadougou and then fired into the air before entering. |
| The security forces arrived later, prompting a gun battle. Witnesses said that three bodies could be seen in the cafe connected to the hotel, called Le Cappuccino. Some of the wounded were evacuated to Yalgado Ouédraogo hospital, where doctors confirmed that an unspecified number of people had been killed. | The security forces arrived later, prompting a gun battle. Witnesses said that three bodies could be seen in the cafe connected to the hotel, called Le Cappuccino. Some of the wounded were evacuated to Yalgado Ouédraogo hospital, where doctors confirmed that an unspecified number of people had been killed. |
| Tahirou Barry, the minister of culture, said in a telephone interview that the security forces had surrounded the hotel, and that witnesses said that four to six attackers were inside with hostages. | Tahirou Barry, the minister of culture, said in a telephone interview that the security forces had surrounded the hotel, and that witnesses said that four to six attackers were inside with hostages. |
| “There is a perimeter of at least 500 meters around it, no one can approach,’’ he said. “They are trying to help the hostages.” | “There is a perimeter of at least 500 meters around it, no one can approach,’’ he said. “They are trying to help the hostages.” |
| “Once in a while we can hear shooting. For the moment, we have no more details on the identity of the shooters, except for the fact that one witness affirmed that one of the assailants proclaimed the name of God — the name of Allah,” Mr. Barry added. | “Once in a while we can hear shooting. For the moment, we have no more details on the identity of the shooters, except for the fact that one witness affirmed that one of the assailants proclaimed the name of God — the name of Allah,” Mr. Barry added. |
| He said that he could not confirm whether American or French forces were helping with the operation, but added: “It’s clear that we could not do this without our friends from abroad. There is a French military base here in Burkina Faso.” | He said that he could not confirm whether American or French forces were helping with the operation, but added: “It’s clear that we could not do this without our friends from abroad. There is a French military base here in Burkina Faso.” |
| An African airline safety group was holding a meeting at the hotel, and members of the organization, the Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar, were in the hotel when the attack began, said Moumouni Barro, a delegate to the meeting. | An African airline safety group was holding a meeting at the hotel, and members of the organization, the Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar, were in the hotel when the attack began, said Moumouni Barro, a delegate to the meeting. |
| The nation’s security ministry declared an extended curfew for the night and a nearby theater was evacuated in the middle of a performance, officials said. | The nation’s security ministry declared an extended curfew for the night and a nearby theater was evacuated in the middle of a performance, officials said. |
| It was the second attack of the day in Burkina Faso, a landlocked country in West Africa. Earlier, armed men attacked a police command post in the northern village of Tin Abao, killing an officer and a civilian and wounding two policemen, officials said. | It was the second attack of the day in Burkina Faso, a landlocked country in West Africa. Earlier, armed men attacked a police command post in the northern village of Tin Abao, killing an officer and a civilian and wounding two policemen, officials said. |
| The November presidential vote was Burkina Faso’s 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 November presidential vote was Burkina Faso’s 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 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. | 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. | 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.” | 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.” |