Terrorist Attack and Hostage-Taking at Hotel for Western Tourists in Burkina Faso
Following an armed attack on a hotel in the capital of Burkina Faso, at least 20 people have been killed. A number of guests at this hotel, which serves as accommodation for Western tourists and United Nations personnel in Ouagadougou, have been taken hostage.
Operation by Burkina Faso security forces to free hostages from the Splendid Hotel in Ouagadougou
The Splendid Hotel, the largest hotel in the capital of Burkina Faso, came under attack by a group of armed men on Friday night (January 15 / December 25).
French news agency reported, citing eyewitnesses, that 20 people were killed in the incident. At least 15 more were wounded following the attack on the hotel.
The Splendid Hotel is considered a place of accommodation for Western tourists and United Nations employees in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso.
The terrorist network “Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb” has claimed responsibility for the attack. The terrorist network stated that the target of the attack was to strike against “enemies of religion.”
According to Burkina Faso’s Foreign Ministry, extremist Islamists have taken a number of hotel guests hostage. Security forces in Burkina Faso have surrounded the hotel building, which has 150 rooms.
They attempted to enter the building and rescue the hostages until the early morning hours of Saturday (January 16 / December 26).
According to Alpha Barry, Burkina Faso’s Foreign Minister, soldiers of the French Army stationed at a base in Ouagadougou are participating in the hostage rescue operation.
Unconfirmed reports indicate that 33 guests of the hotel have left the building. However, the operations of security forces continue.
Read more: Support of Burkina Faso’s army for Isaack Zida as head of transitional government
Burkina Faso had until now been spared from terrorist attacks by extremist Islamists. The country has witnessed unrest since the overthrow of Blaise Compaoré, the former president, in October 2014.
It appears that the power struggle in Burkina Faso following the free presidential elections of November 2015, which were held for the first time in 50 years and resulted in the victory of Isaack Zida, the former deputy head of the presidential guard, has not yet ended.
Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa, located in the vicinity of Mali, Ghana, and Ivory Coast.
The country has a population of approximately 18 million, with more than 60 percent being Muslim and the rest being followers of Christianity and indigenous religions.
Although Burkina Faso is Africa’s largest cotton producer and possesses significant gold mines, it is nonetheless considered one of the poorest countries in the world.
