Up to 33 people have been wounded in the hours-long siege at the Splendid hotel and Cappuccino cafe in Ougadougou claimed by al-Qaeda in Maghreb, France Info news radio cited Burkinabe Interior Minister Simon Compaore as saying.
The interior minister als said another assault was ongoing at the Ybi hotel next to the cafe.
#BREAKING: Assault at second Burkina hotel ongoing: interior minister
— AFP news agency (@AFP) January 16, 2016
Friday evening an unknown number of gunmen attacked the hotel and cafe, frequented by westerners. The raid to retake the hotel and the cafe was conducted by joint US and French-trained Burkinabe forces.
At least 23 people from 18 different countries have been killed in the attack immediately labeled a terrorist act, according to authorities. Ten bodies were reported found at the Cappuccino cafe in the West African country that has been relatively free of terrorist activity to date.
#BREAKING: Burkina Faso attack left at least 23 dead from 18 countries: security source
— AFP news agency (@AFP) January 16, 2016
However, the death toll may rise as the security forces have not finished combing the area, according to the minister.
"We don't yet have a total tally of the dead. The Burkinabe forces are still combing the hotel," he said.
