AL-QAIDA AFFILIATE TAKES HOSTAGES IN HOTEL ATTACK

OUAGADOUGOU Al-Qaida militants struck an upscale hotel and nearby café late Friday that are popular with Westerners in Burkina Faso’s capital, taking an unknown number of hostages and forcing others to hide as gunfire and explosions rang out. Commandos used explosives to storm the building five hours later, accidentally setting fire to the hotel.

It was not immediately known Friday night how many people may have been killed during the siege, though a survivor told hospital director Robert Sangare he estimated the toll could be as high as 20.

At least 15 other people were seriously wounded. Several cars outside the hotel also were engulfed in flames after the attackers set them on fire. The local al-Qaida affiliate known as AQIM claimed responsibility