Africa - Burkina Faso attack: Troops battle to end deadly hotel siege Jan 2016

[There were TWO Hotels under siege. At least 26 tourists killed, a hundred held hostage but rescued. ]

Exchanges of fire are continuing at a hotel in Burkina Faso's capital as special forces seek to break a deadly siege by suspected Islamist gunmen.
Some 30 hostages were freed overnight at Ouagadougou's luxury Splendid Hotel but there are fears that at least 20 people were killed.
Gunmen stormed the hotel and a nearby cafe after setting off bombs.
Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has said it carried out the attack in the West African nation, monitors said.
French President Francois Hollande - whose forces are part of the operation against the militants - condemned the "odious and cowardly attack".
Remi Dandjinou, the Burkinabe communications minister, told the BBC there were between six and seven gunmen and they had been staying at the hotel.

Burkina Faso hotel siege 'over' amid reports of new attack

A siege at a Burkina Faso hotel seized by suspected Islamist militants is over, the authorities say, amid reports of an attack on a second hotel.
The assault on the Splendid Hotel in the West African state's capital, Ouagadougou, killed at least 23 people of 18 different nationalities.
Four attackers were killed, two of them women, officials said.
The Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) militant group has announced that it carried out the attack.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-35332792

Second Siege Reported:

Militants attacked the Splendid and the nearby Cappuccino cafe on Friday evening, setting off several explosions. Both places are popular with UN staff and foreigners.
Interior Minister Simon Compaore said 10 bodies had been found on the cafe terrace alone.
He added that 126 hostages had been freed, with 33 of them injured. Among those freed is the country's Minister of Public Works, Clement Sawadogo.
As the end of the siege was being announced, reports came in that militants had taken up position at the Yibi hotel, a short distance away on the same street in Ouagadougou.
One of the attackers was killed at the Yibi, officials said.
Remi Dandjinou, the Burkinabe communications minister, told the BBC earlier that between six and seven militants had attacked the Splendid, adding that they had been staying at the hotel as guests.
Interior Minister Compaore said two black Africans and an Arab were among the militants killed.
Bukinabe President Roch Kabore arrived at the scene on Saturday morning amid right security.

Hi Katydid23, thank you for starting this thread about the attacks in Burkina Faso.
This is yet another evil and disgusting attack that brings fear and grief to so many families.
I read about it, but I lack the energy to give it the attention that it fully deserves. Just too busy with the aftermath of the attacks in Paris in november and Cologne on New Years Eve. On twitter I read comments of ppl from Africa that we in Europe do not care. Can speak for the rest of Europe, but in my case, my head is full with all that is happening here.

I wish they'd all stop.

What I heard about it on BBC was so horrific and evil.

The four terrorists, 2 men and 2 women, pretended to be tourists, the day before the attacks. I am not sure if they checked into the hotel, but they reportedly ate in the restaurant and walked around as if they were on vacation there.

Then on the 2nd day, they walked across the street to a popular cafe, the Cappuccinno, and slaughtered ten people. A couple of survivors who were hiding, told a horrible story of the killers shooting the innocent diners in the back of the head, for no reason.

Then they went to the hotel, killed 12 more people, injured 40, and then were eventually shot.

Some witnesses said that when the first victims were being killed, the local police came on scene and left because they were outgunned. It was the armed forces who eventually killed the Jihadis.

I agree whole heartedly with you both. My head heart and soul are so fatigued with all this bloodshed and atrocities against our fellow humans. Regardless of ethnicity or religion or gender. I cannot even fathom
How on earth is this carried out by people who so say are doing it in the name of The Holy One. How is genocide a religious act? How is rape and abuse.a religious act?
I really do fear for the generations to come. What kind of world they will live in. I feel they will of been cheated out of a glorious childhood. From just after having breakfast. Taking a picnic. And riding bicycles for miles. Playing in the woods. Going fishing in the stream. Feeding squirrels our left over sandwiches. And coming home when the street lights came on. Tired and happy. Falling into bed after a soak in the bath..... sleeping soundly til morning. When we'd start our adventures all over again. That was MY summer holidays. I loved every second.
All our children know is fear and distrust. As it's a very challenging time. We don't see our neighbours... could they be terrorists? Who knows. No one 'communicates' any more. Our community doesn't communicate anymore. For fear of being branded racist sexist etc etc etc.
We live in a state of fear. A controlled kind of panic even. Fear breeds fear. Breeds hate and loathing. And the whole thing is a vicious circle.
I do hope that someone somewhere. Stops the evil doers in their tracks. So our children. And our children's children. Get chance to enjoy their childhood. As we once did.

DUTCH VOLUNTEER KILLED IN BURKINA FASO ATTACK


PUM volunteer dies after terrorist attack in Burkina Faso

PRESS RELEASE - The Hague, 16 January 2016 – The board and management of PUM Netherlands senior experts are deeply shocked about the news that our country coordinator for Burkina Faso and Niger, Mr Arie Houweling, became the victim of a terrorist attack in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso last night, and passed away.

Arie Houweling visited Burkina Faso to meet with entrepreneurs who had been advised by PUM, and to discuss new assignments and partnerships. PUM’s representatives in Burkina Faso are unharmed. There were no other PUM volunteers in Ouagadougou at the time of the attack.

Arie had been volunteering at PUM since 2004. He started as senior expert, then became sector coordinator Printing, Publishing & Cross Media. Since the beginning of 2015 he acted as PUM’s country coordinator for Burkina Faso and Niger. As a senior expert he made 16 trips to entrepreneurs in a.o. Ethiopia, Ghana, Benin, Mali, DR Congo, Morocco, Uganda and the Philippines. As a sector coordinator he matched senior experts with entrepreneurs, and he recruited new senior experts. As a country coordinator he was responsible for new customers and partners. In that capacity he had traveled to Burkina Faso and Niger earlier.


About PUM (www.pum.nl)
PUM is Dutch non-profit organisation that was founded in 1978 by employers’ federation VNO-NCW, with financial support from the Netherlands ministry of Foreign Affairs. PUM is active in 68 developing countries and works with volunteers who share their business knowledge and experience with entrepreneurs who cannot afford commercial consultants. PUM has been active in Burkina Faso since 1996, advising around 30 entrepreneurs per year. Last year the number of entrepreneurs advised was lower due to the unrest in the country. PUM has ten local representatives in Burkina Faso.


RIP :rose:

AMERICAN MISSIONARY KILLED IN BURKINA FASSO ATTACK BY AL-QUAEDA-LINKED MILITANTS


FoxNews
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/0...faso-attack-by-al-qaeda-linked-militants.html


An American missionary and orphanage director was among the dozens killed by Al Qaeda-linked militants in the West African nation of Burkina Faso Friday night.

Mike Riddering was sitting in a cafe frequented by westerners across the street from the Splendid Hotel in the capital city of Ouagadougou when gunmen rolled up and opened fire. A pastor from nearby Yako who worked with Riddering was able to escape, according to a family friend.

"Every week, Mike would go out and feed the widows in the surrounding villages," said Brant Brooks, who has known Riddering for three years, in an interview with Fox News.

"He would bring them grains and cooking oil and anything else they might need," added Brooks, who also adopted a son from Riddering's orphanage.

State Department spokesman Adm. John Kirby confirmed Riddering's death in a statement late Saturday.


RIP :rose: