An Al-Qaeda militant group killed 16 people in an armed attack on the Ivorian beach resort town of Grand Bassam, just 25 miles from the capital city Abidjan.
Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) claimed responsibility for the attack with a statement posted on Twitter in four languages. The three AQIM gunmen were neutralized. Although the AQIM has been dormant for some time, it has recently partnered with other militant groups taking credit for attacks in Mali and Burkina Faso.
Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara spoke a few hours after the attack and assured the country that the national security council will restore security to the country, saying that these attacks “will not be tolerated.” French President Francois Hollande has also condemned the attacks.
