Gunmen open fire in Burkina Faso capital, kill 17
What's the story
A terrorist attack in the centre of West African nation Burkina Faso's capital, Ouagadougou, has left 17 dead and eight wounded. Three gunmen reportedly opened fire on people seated outside a restaurant and hotel. There's been no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. An investigation into the attack has been launched. In January'16, a terrorist attack on a nearby café had killed 30.
Information
Burkina Faso situated in restive Sahel region
Burkina Faso is a landlocked country situated in the Sahel region of West Africa. It is one of the world's poorest countries and shares a border with Mali, where Islamist terrorists have been active since 2012.
What transpired?
Terrorists opened fire on restaurant patrons , area sealed off
The shooting began on Ouagadougou's busy Kwame Nkrumah Avenue just after 9pm local time. The terrorists appeared to have targeted two locations, Hotel Bravia and the Aziz Istanbul Restaurant. The army has sealed off the city centre while the US embassy, Ouagadougou, has warned American citizens to avoid the area. It's possible that a local terrorist outfit affiliated to the al-Qaeda conducted the attack.
Do you know?
Al-Qaeda conducted similar attack in 2016
The recent attack holds similarities to the one claimed by al-Qaeda in January 2016. Over 30 people were killed and 170 were held hostage by terrorists targeting the Splendid Hotel and the nearby Cappucino restaurant. Both locations are located on the Kwame Nkrumah Avenue.