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| Burkina Faso attack: Amnesty says two of its workers were killed | Burkina Faso attack: Amnesty says two of its workers were killed |
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| Two of the people killed by jihadis in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, were a photographer and a driver for Amnesty International, the group has said. | Two of the people killed by jihadis in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, were a photographer and a driver for Amnesty International, the group has said. |
| It named them as Leila Alaoui and Mahamadi Ouédraogo. Amnesty said Alaoui, a French-Moroccan photographer, was shot twice, in the leg and chest, and was quickly taken to hospital. | It named them as Leila Alaoui and Mahamadi Ouédraogo. Amnesty said Alaoui, a French-Moroccan photographer, was shot twice, in the leg and chest, and was quickly taken to hospital. |
| She was initially in a stable condition following an operation and was about to be evacuated when she suffered a fatal heart attack. Ouédraogo – a father of four who has accompanied Amnesty staff and consultants on missions in the west African country since 2008 – was killed as he sat in his car. | She was initially in a stable condition following an operation and was about to be evacuated when she suffered a fatal heart attack. Ouédraogo – a father of four who has accompanied Amnesty staff and consultants on missions in the west African country since 2008 – was killed as he sat in his car. |
| The two were parked outside the Cappucino cafe, opposite the Hotel Splendid, when the attack occurred on Friday. Alaoui, described by Amnesty as a talented photographer, was on assignment for the group on a project about women’s rights. | The two were parked outside the Cappucino cafe, opposite the Hotel Splendid, when the attack occurred on Friday. Alaoui, described by Amnesty as a talented photographer, was on assignment for the group on a project about women’s rights. |
| The human rights group said: “Amnesty’s absolute priority is to ensure the best possible support for Mahamadi and Leila’s families. The organisation’s representatives are at the hospital liaising with their families, doctors and all necessary officials.” | The human rights group said: “Amnesty’s absolute priority is to ensure the best possible support for Mahamadi and Leila’s families. The organisation’s representatives are at the hospital liaising with their families, doctors and all necessary officials.” |
| Twenty-nine people died in the attack on the five-floor hotel. Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), an offshoot of the Islamic extremist group, said it carried out the attack. | Twenty-nine people died in the attack on the five-floor hotel. Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), an offshoot of the Islamic extremist group, said it carried out the attack. |
| On Tuesday the French prime minister, Manuel Valls, said three assailants were still being sought for their role in the attacks. “Of the six assailants, three were killed and three others were being sought,” he said. | |
| “The intention was to hurt foreigners. It is a place where you find a lot of foreigners. That explains why they attacked it,” the security minister, Simon Compaoré, told Reuters. | “The intention was to hurt foreigners. It is a place where you find a lot of foreigners. That explains why they attacked it,” the security minister, Simon Compaoré, told Reuters. |
| After nine hours, the three attackers were cornered in the nearby Bush Taxi restaurant. They fired on a troop carrier at the crossroads before a machine gunner in the vehicle’s turret shot them dead. AQIM said the militants had enough time to make a phone call to the group to report there were “many Crusaders dead”. | After nine hours, the three attackers were cornered in the nearby Bush Taxi restaurant. They fired on a troop carrier at the crossroads before a machine gunner in the vehicle’s turret shot them dead. AQIM said the militants had enough time to make a phone call to the group to report there were “many Crusaders dead”. |
| Related: Burkina Faso hotel attack: 18 nationalities among dead | Related: Burkina Faso hotel attack: 18 nationalities among dead |
| Meanwhile, hundreds of people in the west African country have called for the release of an elderly Australian couple who are believed to have been abducted by suspected jihadis following the attack. | Meanwhile, hundreds of people in the west African country have called for the release of an elderly Australian couple who are believed to have been abducted by suspected jihadis following the attack. |
| Dr Ken Elliot and his wife Jocelyn, in their 80s, moved to Burkina Faso in 1972 to set up a clinic in the town of Djibo in the country’s north. A Facebook page called Djibo soutient Dr Ken Elliot (Djibo supports Dr Ken Elliot) has attracted many comments calling for the couple’s release. | Dr Ken Elliot and his wife Jocelyn, in their 80s, moved to Burkina Faso in 1972 to set up a clinic in the town of Djibo in the country’s north. A Facebook page called Djibo soutient Dr Ken Elliot (Djibo supports Dr Ken Elliot) has attracted many comments calling for the couple’s release. |
| The attack in Ouagadougou follows a raid on a hotel in neighbouring Mali in November in which 20 people died, including 14 foreigners. That attack was claimed by the same al-Qaida affiliate. | The attack in Ouagadougou follows a raid on a hotel in neighbouring Mali in November in which 20 people died, including 14 foreigners. That attack was claimed by the same al-Qaida affiliate. |
| Hotel Splendid is sometimes used by French troops with Operation Barkhane, a force based in Chad set up to combat Islamist militants across the vast Sahel region. This is understood to be the first time militants have targeted Ouagadougou. | Hotel Splendid is sometimes used by French troops with Operation Barkhane, a force based in Chad set up to combat Islamist militants across the vast Sahel region. This is understood to be the first time militants have targeted Ouagadougou. |
| Burkina Faso has been in turmoil since its longtime president was ousted in a popular uprising in late 2014. Last September, members of a presidential guard launched a coup that lasted about a week. The transitional government returned to power until Burkina Faso’s November election. President Roch Marc Kaboré is the country’s first new leader since 1987. | Burkina Faso has been in turmoil since its longtime president was ousted in a popular uprising in late 2014. Last September, members of a presidential guard launched a coup that lasted about a week. The transitional government returned to power until Burkina Faso’s November election. President Roch Marc Kaboré is the country’s first new leader since 1987. |