Leading the News -

Cote d’Ivoire -

On March 13th, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) gunmen armed with assault rifles stormed the beach hotels in Grand-Bassam, a region population with Ivoirian and Western tourists. According to initial statements by Interior Minister Hamed Bakayoko, 15 civilians and three members of the special forces were killed and three others were wounded. The victims included foreign citizens from Burkina Faso, Cameroon, France, Germany, and Mali. Three militants were also killed in the clashes. Following the attack, President Alassane Ouattara declared three days of mourning for the country, which has never before been attacked by Al Qaeda.

On March 13th, United Nations (U.N.) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the terrorist attacks on Cote d’Ivoire’s beach resort town of Grand-Bassam. Secretary-General Ban reiterated the U.N.’s commitment to standing with the people of the Cote d’Ivoire and extended his full support to the Government in its efforts to bring the perpetrators of the attack to justice. The attack was also condemned by the U.N. World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).