Restaurant attack leaves 20 dead in Burkina Faso

By Alpha Kamara

DAKAR, Senegal

At least 20 people have been killed and several others injured in an attack on a restaurant in Burkina Faso's capital, police said Monday.

The attack started when “three or four” gunmen pulled up on motorbikes at the Aziz Istanbul restaurant in Ouagadougou at around 9.30 p.m. (2130GMT) Sunday and started shooting.

Communications Minister Remis Dandjinou told state broadcaster Radio Television du Burkina that three attackers were later killed by security forces.

The police operation lasted until early Monday morning.

Dandjinou described the incident as a "terrorist attack". No group has yet claimed responsibility.

Local journalist Francois Brado told Anadolu Agency that police said the victims were of different nationalities, including French and Turkish.

Burkina Faso Prosecutor Maize Sereme said one Canadian, one Senegalese, one Turkish, one French, eight Burkina Faso, one Nigeria, and two Kuwaiti nationals were among the victims. The nationality of the remaining three victims have yet to be identified, he added.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry confirmed in a statement that one of the victims was Turkish.

“We are deeply saddened to learn that a Turkish citizen was among the dead and another one is among the injured,” the ministry said in a statement.

“We strongly condemn the terrorist attack that happened in Burkina Faso’s capital Ouagadougou yesterday evening, which caused the death and injury of scores. We convey our condolences to families of victims and wish a speedy recovery to the brotherly Burkina Faso people.”

Two Senegalese victims

The Senegal Press Agency (APS) reported Monday afternoon that a Senegalese national, Maxene Fenaiche, and his five-months-old pregnant wife were among the dead. There was no information about the woman's name.

"The 32-year-old born in Rebeuss outside Dakar was managing a store in Ouagadougou. He and his wife were in the restaurant during the attack and were both killed," APS said, adding Maxene Fenaiche's father would travel to Ouagadougou on Tuesday to collect the corpses.

Senegal's President Macky Sall also expressed his support in the fight against terrorism in the region. "I stand against terrorism, and I declare my total support for the Burkinabé people and my brother, [Burkina Faso] President [Roch Marc] Kabore in this time of grief," Sall tweeted.

Paris prosecutors to launch investigation

Paris prosecutor's office will investigate the deadly attack as one French national was among the victims, the office said in a statement.

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron phoned his counterpart in Burkina Faso, Roch Marc Kabore to convey his condolences, according to a statement on the presidential website.

The European Union also condemned the attack in a statement, saying that the bloc was determined to fight against "this common threat".

In January 2016, 30 people were killed in a similar attack on the Splendid hotel in Ouagadougou perpetrated by al-Qaida-linked militants.