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| Ivory Coast: 16 dead in Grand Bassam beach resort attack | Ivory Coast: 16 dead in Grand Bassam beach resort attack |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Al-Qaeda-linked militants have killed at least 14 civilians and two soldiers in a gun attack on a beach resort in south-eastern Ivory Coast. | |
| The attackers fired on beach-goers in Grand Bassam, about 40km (25 miles) from the commercial capital Abidjan. | The attackers fired on beach-goers in Grand Bassam, about 40km (25 miles) from the commercial capital Abidjan. |
| The resort is popular with both locals and foreigners. One of the dead was French, France's foreign ministry says. | The resort is popular with both locals and foreigners. One of the dead was French, France's foreign ministry says. |
| Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has claimed the attack. The gunmen have been "neutralised", officials say. | Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has claimed the attack. The gunmen have been "neutralised", officials say. |
| Ivory Coast was once one of the most stable countries in West Africa. | Ivory Coast was once one of the most stable countries in West Africa. |
| However, a civil war broke out in 2002, pitting the mainly Muslim north against the largely Christian south. Since then, peace deals have alternated with renewed violence. | However, a civil war broke out in 2002, pitting the mainly Muslim north against the largely Christian south. Since then, peace deals have alternated with renewed violence. |
| A witness of Sunday's attack told AFP that "heavily armed men wearing balaclavas" had opened fire near the L'Etoile du Sud hotel, which was full of expats. | A witness of Sunday's attack told AFP that "heavily armed men wearing balaclavas" had opened fire near the L'Etoile du Sud hotel, which was full of expats. |
| Another eyewitness, Souleymane Kamagate, says he saw people running from the beach and fleeing in all directions. | Another eyewitness, Souleymane Kamagate, says he saw people running from the beach and fleeing in all directions. |
| French President Francois Hollande condemned the "cowardly attack" in which a French national died. There is no word so far on the nationalities of other victims. | |
| BBC regional reporter Maud Jullien says Ivory Coast has been identified as one of several countries in West Africa at risk of being targeted by Islamist militants. | BBC regional reporter Maud Jullien says Ivory Coast has been identified as one of several countries in West Africa at risk of being targeted by Islamist militants. |
| AQIM claimed deadly attacks on luxury hotels in Mali in November and Burkina Faso in January. | |
| The group, which has its origin in Algeria's civil war of the 1990s, has expanded across the Sahel regions south of the Sahara in recent years. | |
| Are you in the area? Have you been affected by what's happened? If it is safe to do so, you can share your experience by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Are you in the area? Have you been affected by what's happened? If it is safe to do so, you can share your experience by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below | Or use the form below |