Mali attack: Gunmen storm resort used by Westerners

Mali attack: Gunmen storm resort used by Westerners

Gunmen have stormed a tourist resort in Mali popular with Westerners and two people are dead, the country's security minister has said.

Officials said "suspected jihadists" were behind the assault.

The attack is said to be ongoing, with security forces battling the gunmen.

It is feared that hostages have been taken at the luxury resort, according to a UN official cited by the Associated Press.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-40322039

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[FONT=&amp]Witness Boubacar Sangare was just outside the compound during the attack.

“Westerners were fleeing the encampment while two plainclothes police exchanged fire with the assailants,” he said.

“There were four national police vehicles and French soldiers in armoured vehicles on the scene.” He added that a helicopter was circling overhead.

[/FONT]https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jun/18/mali-counter-terror-police-tourist-resort-bamako

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EUTM Mali (European Union Training Mission in Mali) is a European Union multinational military training mission headquartered in Bamako, Mali, which is training and advising the military of Mali.

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This mission is within the frame of international law, in order to sustain the effort of the modernization of the Malian Army. What is at stake is to improve MAF’s (Malian Armed Forces') military capacities and their efficiency in order to enable them, under the civilian command, to reestablish their country’s territorial integrity.

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A security ministry spokesman told Reuters 32 guests had been rescued from the resort.Malian special forces intervened, backed by UN soldiers and troops from a French counter-terrorism force.

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“They [the armed men] exchanged gunshots with members of the special anti-terrorist force (FORSAT) who had arrived just a few minutes after the attack. FORSAT managed to secure the surroundings of the site. The operation to secure the premises is in progress,” the statement said.

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Two attackers were killed, but it was unclear then whether security forces killed them or whether they blew themselves up, mission spokesman Olivier Salgado said at the time

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