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UP FRONTSaturday 21 November 2015
Gunmen attack hotel in Mali’s capital, killing at least 20
BABA AHMED Mali police walk outside one of the entrances to the Radisson Blu hotel’s conference center after Malian special forces went
Associated Press an attack by gunmen on the hotel in Bamako, Mali, Friday, Nov. 20, 2015 “floor by floor” to free hos-
BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Heav- tages, Traore said.
ily armed Islamic extremists Associated Press U.S. special forces assisted,
seized dozens of hostages said Col. Mark Cheadle of
Friday at a Radisson hotel, activity was firefighters car- have been only two gun- sarily have people being the U.S. Army’s Africa Com-
but Malian troops, backed rying bodies to waiting am- men, both of whom were hostage.” mand. At least six Ameri-
by U.S. and French special bulances. killed. A police officer at Traore said 126 people had cans were evacuated from
forces, swarmed in to re- Malian state television the hotel displayed photos been escorted to safety, the hotel, Cheadle said.
take the building and free said late Friday night that of the two dead gunmen, and that at least one guest U.S. officials were trying to
many of the terrified cap- the government had an- their bodies riddled with reported the attackers in- verify the location of all
tives. At least 20 people, nounced a 10-day state bullets. structed him to recite vers- American citizens in Mali.
including one American, of emergency beginning The siege began when as- es from the Quran as proof National Security Coun-
were killed along with two at midnight as well as a sailants shouting “God is of his Muslim faith before he cil spokesman Ned Price
gunmen during the more three-day period of na- great!” in Arabic burst into was allowed to leave. praised the bravery of the
than seven-hour siege, a tional morning beginning the complex and opened As people ran for their lives Malian, French, U.N. and
Malian military command- Monday. fire on the hotel guards, along a dirt road, troops in U.S. security personnel who
er said. Army Cmdr. Modibo Nama Traore said earlier on Fri- full combat gear pointed responded, adding that
An extremist group led Traore said late Friday that day. About 170 guests and the way to safety, some- Washington was prepared
by former al-Qaida com- 20 people had been killed, employees were initially times escorting them with a to assist Mali’s government
mander Moktar Belmoktar including an official with- taken hostage, but some protective arm around the as it investigates “this tragic
claimed responsibility for Mali’s gendarmerie. In ad- apparently escaped or hid shoulder. Local TV showed terrorist attack.”
the attack in the former dition, he said five people in the sprawling, cream- heavily armed troops in A unit of French soldiers was
French colony, and many were injured including two and-pink hotel that has 190 what appeared to be a sent to Bamako in support
in France saw it as a new police officers. rooms and a spa, outdoor lobby. of Malian security forces,
assault on their country’s The U.S. State Department pool and ballroom. They in- Monique Kouame Affoue the French Defense Minis-
interests a week after the said one American was cluded visitors from France, Ekonde of Ivory Coast said try said. About 40 special
Paris attacks. among the dead, though Belgium, Germany, China, she and six other people, police forces also played
While French President it did not identify the victim India, Canada, Ivory Coast including a Turkish woman, a supporting role, France’s
Francois Hollande did not out of respect for the fam- and Turkey. were escorted out by secu- national gendarme service
link the violence at the ily. “It was more like a real ter- rity forces as the gunmen said.
Radisson Blu hotel with last Though Traore had earlier rorist attack,” said U.N. Mis- rushed toward the fifth or The U.N. mission sent se-
week’s bloodshed in Paris, said as many as 10 attack- sion spokesman Olivier Sal- sixth floor. Ekonde said she curity reinforcements and
he declared that France ers were involved, he said gado. “The intention was had been “in a state of medical aid to the scene,
would stand by the West Friday night that there may clearly to kill, not to neces- shock.” said U.N. deputy spokes-
African country. man Farhan Haq. A few
“Once again, terrorists U.N. staff were in the hotel
want to make their bar- but they got out safely, he
baric presence felt every- added.
where, where they can kill, Reflecting the chaos sur-
where they can massacre. rounding the siege, various
So we should once again death tolls were reported
show our solidarity with our during the day. French For-
ally, Mali,” he said. eign Minister Jean-Yves Le
Gunfire continued through- Drian said 19 people died
out the day at the hotel, — 18 in the hotel and one
which is popular with airline Malian soldier killed in the
crews and other foreign- fighting.
ers doing business in the A U.N. official had earlier
capital of Bamako, but the said initial reports put the
shooting had stopped after number of dead at 27, but
dark. that different casualty fig-
Officials would not con- ures have been reported
firm that the entire com- and the organization is
plex had been secured by working with authorities to
nightfall, although the only get an exact total. q
