A terror attack on a four-star hotel in the Burkina Faso capital, Ouagadougou has reportedly left 20 dead and 33 hospitalized.
The attack commenced late Friday night in the Splendid Hotel, which is frequented by Western diplomats and businessmen.
As at Saturday morning, the country’s military commandos with logistical support from American and French troops stormed the 147-bed hotel and rescued many hostages, including an un-named government minister.
The attack was launched by turbaned terrorists who had come into the hotel earlier in the evening and mixed with guests, before they were joined by more terrorists just before the attack began, CNN reported.
According to the country’s Foreign Minister, Alpha Berry, 63 hostages were rescued from the hotel by the security forces as at Saturday morning, CNN quoted local affiliate BFMTV as saying.
In total, at least 126 hostages have made it out alive from the hotel.
The attackers also attacked a nearby Cappuccino café, where at least ten of the victims of the attack were gunned down, reported Daily Mail.
The attack has been claimed by a group of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, Al-Mourabitoun, although this could not be immediately verified.
The same group claimed responsibility for the November 2015 attack on a Radisson Blu hotel in Mali where 22 persons were reported killed.
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