OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AP) - The Latest on the attack in Burkina Faso (all times local):
4:15 p.m.
Canada’s foreign minister says two Canadians were among 18 people killed in a suspected extremist attack on a popular restaurant in Burkina Faso.
Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said her heartfelt condolences go out to the loved ones of this targeted attack. Freeland says Canadian consular officials are providing assistance to their loved ones.
She says out of the respect of the next kin they won’t share further details.
Burkina Faso’s Foreign Ministry earlier said one Canadian was killed.
___
2:45 p.m.
Burkina Faso’s President Roch Marc Christian Kabore says he sends his condolences to the victims of the suspected extremist attack on a popular restaurant in which 18 people died in the capital.
“The fight against terrorism is a long-term battle,” he said in a statement. “That’s why I’m calling for vigilance, solidarity and unity of the whole nation in order to face the cowardice of our adversaries.”
___
2:30 p.m.
The leaders of France and Burkina Faso are calling for quicker deployment of a new multinational military force against extremists in Africa’s vast Sahel region, after the latest attack by suspected Islamic extremists in the Burkina Faso capital, Ouagadougou.
A statement Monday from the office of French President Emmanuel Macron said he discussed the attack and efforts to identify both its victims and organizers in a call with his Burkina Faso counterpart, Roch Marc Christian Kabore.
It said the two leaders agreed that it is urgent “to accelerate the putting in place” of the new 5,000-strong anti-terror force. With contributions from Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad - known as the G5 - the force is to deploy by September.
The statement said the two presidents will be in contact in coming days with other leaders in the region “to pursue this mobilization.”
___
2:15 p.m.
Burkina Faso’s Foreign Ministry that several foreigners were among the 18 killed in the suspected extremist attack on a popular restaurant. It said that the foreigners killed include two Kuwaitis, and one person each from Canada, France, Senegal, Nigeria, Lebanon and Turkey. Seven Burkina Faso citizens were killed and authorities said three other victims had not yet been identified.
___
10:55 a.m.
France’s Foreign Ministry says a French national was among those killed in the attack by suspected Islamic extremists on an upscale Turkish restaurant in the capital of Burkina Faso.
A ministry statement Monday gave no details about the French victim but said French officials are in contact with the victim’s family “to help it in these painful moments.”
It added that French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has spoken by telephone with his Burkina Faso counterpart, Alpha Barry.
___
10:30 a.m.
French President Emmanuel Macron has condemned the attack by suspected Islamic extremists at a Turkish restaurant in the capital of Burkina Faso and promised France’s continued support to countries in West Africa against terror groups.
A statement from the French presidential palace said Macron, who is vacationing in the south of France, would speak about the situation Monday with Burkina Faso’s president, Roch Marc Christian Kabore.
It said Macron also praised the “effective mobilization” of Burkina Faso’s security forces at the scene and expressed solidarity with the attack victims’ families. Among the 18 dead is at least one French person and a Turkish person.
___
10 a.m.
Burkina Faso’s government spokesman says that the country’s special forces have ended a violent attack on an upscale Turkish restaurant in the 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 told journalists Monday 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 for at least seven hours, said Capt. Guy Ye, spokesman of the security forces.
___
7 a.m.
Turkey says a Turkish national was killed and another was wounded in the attack by suspected Islamic extremists at a Turkish restaurant in the capital of Burkina Faso.
Turkey’s Foreign Ministry released a statement Monday condemning “in the strongest way” the attack on the upscale Aziz Istanbul restaurant which killed at least 18 people.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the violence, which continued into the early hours Monday.
The ministry statement said Turkey would maintain its support and solidarity with Burkina Faso, which it said had become the target of international terror over the past years.
___
Suspected Islamic extremists opened fire at a Turkish restaurant in the capital of Burkina Faso late Sunday, killing at least 18 people in the second such attack on a restaurant popular with foreigners in the last two years.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the violence, which continued into the early hours Monday. Gunfire could be heard almost seven hours after the attack began.
Communication Minister Remi Dandjinou told journalists that at least 18 people were dead and eight others wounded, according to a provisional toll. He said two of the attackers were also killed.
The victims came from several different nationalities, he said. At least one of the dead was French.
Security forces arrived at the scene with armored vehicles after reports of shots fired near Aziz Istanbul, an upscale restaurant in Ouagadougou. The attack brought back painful memories of the January 2016 attack at another cafe that left 30 people dead.
___
Associated Press journalists Brahima Ouedraogo in Ouagadougou; Krista Larson in Dakar, Senegal; Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey; John Leicester in Paris, France; and Rob Gillies in Toronto, Canada, contributed to this report.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.