Gunmen have attacked a hotel used by westerners in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso,
taking hostages and reportedly killing at least 20 people. The attack occur on Friday. according to an eye witness two car bombs went off outside the splendid hotel, afterwards three to four maskmen stormed the hotel which is popularly used by UN officials and westerners.
Robert Sangare, a hospital director in the city, said at least 20 people had died and 15 more wounded.
Witnesses said soon after 01:00 that an operation to free hostages from the hotel was under way. Part of the hotel was on fire, they reported.
Foreign Minister Alpha Barry had earlier said he would not rule out the co-operation of French troops.
One group that monitors jihadist networks said al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb claimed it was behind the attack.
Witnesses said the gunmen had initially entered the Cappuccino cafe near the hotel
.
One employee at the cafe told Agence France Presse that "several people" had been killed there.
Eyewitnesses reported hearing exchanges of gunfire between the men and security
forces, as well as sporadic gunfire from inside the four-star hotel, which is close to the country's international airport.
In the latest developments: