(CNN)The United States and France have pledged assistance to Ivory Coast as the West African nation investigates a terror attack that left at least 16 people dead.
Gunmen stormed three hotels Sunday in the beach resort city of Grand-Bassam, officials said. Foreign nationals, including a Frenchman and a German woman, were among the dead.
Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb claimed responsibility on a social media account tied to the group.
Two soldiers and 14 civilians were among those killed, President Alassane Ouattara said as he visited the sites of the attack.
Three terrorists were killed in the attack, the Ivory Coast presidency said on its Facebook page Monday, citing Interior Minister Hamed Bakayoko.
On Sunday, Ouattara gave the number of terrorists killed in the attack as six. No information was immediately available Monday clarifying the discrepancy.
The President declared three days of national mourning. He urged the Ivorian people to come together and to not give in to fear.
“I condemn in the strongest terms these heinous and cowardly attacks on innocent people,” he said. “Ivory Coast will not be intimidated by terrorists.”
Popular weekend spot targeted
The attack began shortly after midday Sunday when the beach at Grand-Bassam — about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the country’s largest city, Abidjan — reportedly was packed with people swimming, relaxing and eating at beachside cafes. The area is popular with wealthy Ivorians and Westerners, particularly on Sundays.
Eyewitnesses told CNN they heard sustained gunfire for about 15 minutes and saw people running and screaming from the three hotels.
“Truly, truly it was terrifying,” said Yapi Marie Claire, who witnessed the attack. “We never thought it could happen here under these circumstances. It’s truly not easy. It’s not easy.”
Describing a gunman, Kouakou Bertin said, “He shouted, ‘Allahu akbar,’ ” Arabic for God is great. “At that moment three others arrived and started to shoot.”
Photos posted by Twitter user @lopezdobe showed ammunition magazines and grenades on the ground near the scene.
——————————————-
From : CNN / March 14, 2016
Link : http://edition.cnn.com/2016/03/13/africa/ivory-coast-attack/index.html
