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Ivory Coast shooting: '12 dead including four Europeans' in gun attack on Grand-Bassam beach resort popular with Western tourists | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Several people are feared dead after at least four heavily armed gunmen attacked a beach resort in the Ivory Coast. | |
At least twelve people are reported dead, including Europeans, near the Hotel Etoile du Sud, in the coastal city of Grand-Bassam, which is popular with Western tourists. | |
In a now-deleted post on social media, the Ivory Coast government confirmed there were at least 11 casualties, including a five-year-old child. | In a now-deleted post on social media, the Ivory Coast government confirmed there were at least 11 casualties, including a five-year-old child. |
Witnesses reported hearing the gunmen shout "Allahu Akbar" (God is great) as they opened fire. | Witnesses reported hearing the gunmen shout "Allahu Akbar" (God is great) as they opened fire. |
There are varying reports of both the number feared dead and the number of attackers. | There are varying reports of both the number feared dead and the number of attackers. |
A government spokesperson told Bloomberg at least five attackers had been killed and another five were on the run. | A government spokesperson told Bloomberg at least five attackers had been killed and another five were on the run. |
The shooting started at the Hotel Etoile Du Sud's Koral Beach and continued in nearby establishments, according to the website Ivorian Connection. | |
Local media had reported the gunmen had entered the hotel and took guests and staff hostage. | |
However, a receptionist at the Etoile de Sud hotel told Associated Press that everyone in the hotel was safe, and gendarmerie were present. | |
"We don't know where they [the gunmen] came from, and we don't know where they've gone," he said. | |
Images of the attack on social media show bodies on the beach, which has now been evacuated by the army. | |
An American embassy delegation was in Grand-Bassam on Sunday but the U.S. Embassy said it has no evidence that U.S. citizens were targeted or hurt. | |
Grand-Bassam is a Unesco world heritage site and is around 40km (25 miles) east of the country's economic capital, Abidjan. | |
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