Al-Qaeda hotel attackers sought

PARIS: Three suspected al-Qaeda attackers involved in an assault on a hotel and café in Burkina Faso’s capital that killed 30 people at the weekend were still being sought on Tuesday, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said.

Three gunmen were killed in a French and US-assisted operation by Burkinabe security forces to retake the Splendid Hotel and surrounding buildings following the Friday night attack, which targeted an area that is popular with foreigners.

Eight Burkinabes, six Canadians, three Ukrainians and three French citizens were among the dead. Other bodies were still being identified.

“Of the six assailants, three were killed and three others are still being sought,” Valls said in remarks before the French parliament, adding that the attack on Ouagadougou was a reminder of a similar attack in Paris in November.

“This attack was claimed by Aqim. This is further proof that this group is dangerous,” he added.

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (Aqim) on Monday identified three fighters it said were responsible for the attacks.

The French troops involved in the operation against the attackers were part of a 200-strong force stationed in the country as part of a regional antimilitant operation.

Aqim claimed a similar attack on the Radisson Blu hotel in Mali’s capital Bamako that killed 20 people in November.

Some witnesses, however, reported seeing more attackers. Security forces responding at the scene of events initially believed they were facing a team of 12 gunmen. Gendarmes said they believed at least two assailants were women.

“The investigation is moving forward. Eleven French police and gendarmes are assisting Burkinabe experts with the identification of bodies. There are also five American FBI agents,” Burkina Security Minister Simon Compaore said.

Authorities in Ouagadougou have already made a number of arrests, though some suspects had since been released, said Foreign Minister Alpha Barry.

Leaders from Burkina Faso and Mali have agreed to work more closely to fight jihadists by sharing intelligence and conducting joint security patrols. – Reuters