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| 16 Killed in Terrorist Attack on Resort Hotels in Ivory Coast | 16 Killed in Terrorist Attack on Resort Hotels in Ivory Coast |
| (2 months later) | |
| ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast — Gunmen opened fire on picnickers and swimmers enjoying a perfect day at three beach resort hotels near the Ivory Coast’s largest city on Sunday, killing 16 people and leaving bodies strewn across the bloodstained sand. It was the third major attack in West Africa since November, and verified fears that the spread of terrorism across the region was far from over. | |
| The attack, on the first sunny Sunday in weeks, took place in Grand-Bassam, a popular palm tree-lined getaway for Ivorians and foreigners. Fourteen civilians and two members of the country’s special forces were killed, as well as six gunmen, according to a spokeswoman for the president. | The attack, on the first sunny Sunday in weeks, took place in Grand-Bassam, a popular palm tree-lined getaway for Ivorians and foreigners. Fourteen civilians and two members of the country’s special forces were killed, as well as six gunmen, according to a spokeswoman for the president. |
| The authorities in Ivory Coast appealed for calm. | The authorities in Ivory Coast appealed for calm. |
| “The situation is under control,” President Alassane Ouattara told reporters on a visit to the scene of the shootings. | “The situation is under control,” President Alassane Ouattara told reporters on a visit to the scene of the shootings. |
| The North African affiliate of Al Qaeda, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement released on Sunday evening that praised three “knights” who had carried it out. There was no immediate explanation for the discrepancy in the number of attackers. | The North African affiliate of Al Qaeda, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement released on Sunday evening that praised three “knights” who had carried it out. There was no immediate explanation for the discrepancy in the number of attackers. |
| The French authorities warned weeks ago that Ivory Coast, as well as Senegal, could be targeted. | The French authorities warned weeks ago that Ivory Coast, as well as Senegal, could be targeted. |
| Groups with ties to Al Qaeda have led an increasing number of deadly attacks on destinations popular with expatriates in West Africa, launching assaults far from what is thought to be its regional base, in the deserts of northern Mali. | Groups with ties to Al Qaeda have led an increasing number of deadly attacks on destinations popular with expatriates in West Africa, launching assaults far from what is thought to be its regional base, in the deserts of northern Mali. |
| In January, militants attacked the Hotel Splendid and Cappuccino Cafe in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso. Gunmen also attacked the Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako, Mali, in November. In all, dozens have been killed and many more wounded. | In January, militants attacked the Hotel Splendid and Cappuccino Cafe in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso. Gunmen also attacked the Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako, Mali, in November. In all, dozens have been killed and many more wounded. |
| The region is nervous. In many countries, officials have set up new checkpoints along highways. Metal detectors are in place outside hotels and even small coffee shops. Drivers visiting restaurants are often subjected to thorough searches of their vehicles. | The region is nervous. In many countries, officials have set up new checkpoints along highways. Metal detectors are in place outside hotels and even small coffee shops. Drivers visiting restaurants are often subjected to thorough searches of their vehicles. |
| But thwarting this type of relatively simple attack, carried out by a handful of gunmen, is proving difficult. | But thwarting this type of relatively simple attack, carried out by a handful of gunmen, is proving difficult. |
| The identities of the victims in Grand-Bassam had yet to be released, but both locals and foreigners were among the dead. The French government said one of its citizens had been killed. An official at the Grand-Bassam morgue said a German woman had been among the victims. Ivory Coast’s interior minister listed the victims’ nationalities as Ivorian, Burkinabe, Malian, Cameroonian, French and German, without offering more details. | The identities of the victims in Grand-Bassam had yet to be released, but both locals and foreigners were among the dead. The French government said one of its citizens had been killed. An official at the Grand-Bassam morgue said a German woman had been among the victims. Ivory Coast’s interior minister listed the victims’ nationalities as Ivorian, Burkinabe, Malian, Cameroonian, French and German, without offering more details. |
| An American trade delegation of university representatives was in Grand-Bassam at the time of the attacks, but not at any of the targeted hotels, according to a United States Embassy official. The official said there was no evidence that American citizens had been harmed in the assault. | An American trade delegation of university representatives was in Grand-Bassam at the time of the attacks, but not at any of the targeted hotels, according to a United States Embassy official. The official said there was no evidence that American citizens had been harmed in the assault. |
| Part of the town of Grand-Bassam, with its 19th- and 20th-century colonial architecture, is a Unesco World Heritage Site. The onetime French trading post “bears witness to the complex social relations between Europeans and Africans, and to the subsequent independence movement,” according to the Unesco website. | Part of the town of Grand-Bassam, with its 19th- and 20th-century colonial architecture, is a Unesco World Heritage Site. The onetime French trading post “bears witness to the complex social relations between Europeans and Africans, and to the subsequent independence movement,” according to the Unesco website. |
| Swimmers and sunbathers had gathered Sunday along the seaside beaches and pools at the cluster of three hotels — L’Etoile du Sud, the Wharf Hotel and Koral Beach — at the start of a hot afternoon. Grand-Bassam, a former French colonial capital, is about 30 miles east of Abidjan, the economic capital of Ivory Coast and its largest city. | |
| It was unclear how the gunmen had arrived, but some witnesses said the assailants had concentrated their attacks on the beachside areas. | It was unclear how the gunmen had arrived, but some witnesses said the assailants had concentrated their attacks on the beachside areas. |
| Thierry Cusset, a French commercial agent who has lived in Abidjan for 15 years, said he and his wife had been among a mostly local crowd relaxing in lounge chairs at the Wharf. | Thierry Cusset, a French commercial agent who has lived in Abidjan for 15 years, said he and his wife had been among a mostly local crowd relaxing in lounge chairs at the Wharf. |
| The couple ordered food, then parted ways for swimming — Mr. Cusset in the ocean and his wife in the pool. | The couple ordered food, then parted ways for swimming — Mr. Cusset in the ocean and his wife in the pool. |
| “That’s when they started shooting in every direction,” he said. | “That’s when they started shooting in every direction,” he said. |
| Bullets rained down, and the sound was deafening, he said. Wounded people crawled toward the kitchen to take shelter. One had been shot in the leg. | Bullets rained down, and the sound was deafening, he said. Wounded people crawled toward the kitchen to take shelter. One had been shot in the leg. |
| “It was total panic,” he said. “Everyone was screaming.” | “It was total panic,” he said. “Everyone was screaming.” |
| He found his wife, unharmed, in the pool, and the couple raced for their car. As they drove off, they encountered police cars speeding toward the scene. | He found his wife, unharmed, in the pool, and the couple raced for their car. As they drove off, they encountered police cars speeding toward the scene. |
| At L’Etoile du Sud, five gunmen descended on beachgoers around 1 p.m., witnesses said. A gunmen shot a child, then started spraying bullets at people in the ocean. | At L’Etoile du Sud, five gunmen descended on beachgoers around 1 p.m., witnesses said. A gunmen shot a child, then started spraying bullets at people in the ocean. |
| “Everyone panicked and started to run away,” said one witness, Firmin Atte. | “Everyone panicked and started to run away,” said one witness, Firmin Atte. |
| The attack was a setback for a nation that had been trying to move beyond the civil unrest of the early 2000s to reclaim a spot among the economic leaders of the region. Mr. Ouattara, its newly re-elected president, has built up major infrastructure around Abidjan, and had been trying to lure more multinational companies to set up regional headquarters in Ivory Coast. |