On Nov. 20, 2015, members of a local militant group took 130 people hostage in a hotel in Bamako, the capital of the West African nation of Mali. According to witnesses, gunmen stormed a Radisson Blu hotel, shouting “Allahu akbar.”
The gunmen allegedly used falsified diplomatic licenses to move past security at the hotel’s reception desk and security. Once past security, the gunmen opened fire in the hotel’s lobby. At least 21 people, as well as two or three of the attackers, were killed, according to United Nations officials. Among those held hostage were businesspeople, pilots, flight attendants, and diplomats. According to estimates, guests at the hotel included citizens of India, Turkey, China, America, Algeria, and several other European countries.
While Malian officials believe that local militant group Al Mourabitoun was responsible for the attack, the claim has yet to be independently confirmed. According to an article by the New York Times, France’s defence minister told French television that Mokhtar Belmokhtar, a long-time Al Qaeda member, was most likely behind the attack in Mali. However, this too has yet to be verified.
“We don’t want to scare our people, but we have already said that Mali will have to get used to situations like this,” explained Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, in an interview with France 24. “No one, nowhere, is safe, given the danger of terrorism.”
President Keita declared a 10-day state of emergency as a result of the hotel attack.
Mali has struggled with insurrection and extremism for several years. Earlier this year, a restaurant and another hotel suffered from smaller-scale attacks.
The attacks took place mere days after the terrorist in France rocked the French capital. Both U.S. President Barack Obama and French President Francois Hollande condemned the attacks on the Malian capital. President Hollande pledged support and aid to the people of Mali.
French soldiers, who assisted the Malian government in ousting militants and extremists from Northern Mali in 2013, remain to lend aid.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon issued a statement condemning the attacks in Mali, while simultaneously pledging full support to aid authorities fighting against extremists.
“The Secretary-General condemns the horrific terrorist attack at the Radisson hotel in Bamako which killed an unknown number of civilians and injured many more,” read a Nov. 20, 2015 statement from the Spokesman for Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. “He expresses his sincere condolences to the Government of Mali and the bereaved families, and wishes a speedy recovery to the wounded victims of this attack. The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali has been assisting the Malian authorities in the handling of this crisis.”
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s spokesman later reiterated the United Nations’ commitment to support the Malian government.