18 people killed after IS terrorists attack restaurant in Burkina Faso
Print Edition
BURKINA Faso’s government spokesman says that the country’s special forces have ended an attack by suspected Islamic extremists on an upscale Turkish restaurant in this West African country’s capital Ouagadougou.
“At this moment our forces have neutralized two terrorists and the number of casualties, still provisional, is 18 dead and several wounded,” Communications Minister and government spokesman Remy Danguinou said yesterday morning.
He said the dead are “mainly children and women” and the toll could rise because several people were wounded by the gunfire.
At least three members of Burkina Faso’s security forces were wounded during the assault, which lasted nearly seven hours, said Captain Guy Ye, spokesman of the security forces.
The assailants arrived at the restaurant on motorcycles and then began shooting randomly at the crowds dining Sunday evening, he said. Security forces arrived at the scene with armored vehicles after reports of shots fired near Aziz Istanbul.
“I heard a noise when they smashed a car with their motorbike and before I understood what happened they started shooting at the customers at the terrace,” said Assane Guebre, a shoe shiner who also watches customers’ cars and motorcycles.
The assailants were “two young men” with jeans and jackets where they hid their weapons, said Guebre.
The attack started at about 8pm said Guebre, whose hands were bleeding from cuts on from when he threw himself to the ground to avoid the bullets.
“They were close to me, and I still don’t know how they did not hit me first,” Guebre said.
Amy Sawadogo, a worker at the restaurant, appeared to be still reeling from the attack, after she was counseled by a psychologist at a crisis center set up to assist victims. Shoeless, she was wandering asking for her co-workers.
“I just want to go to the hospital and see who is still alive,” she said in tears. “I am calling them in vain, no response.”
The scene of the attack is currently sealed by security forces who are investigating for evidence and to identify the dead. Several officials including Prime Minister Paul Kaba Tieba arrived at the scene.
Three hearses were seen early yesterday morning to transport bodies after forensic police made their reports.
This is the second such attack on a restaurant popular with foreigners in the last two years.
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