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Al-Qaeda gunmen kill at least 20 people outside African hotel popular with tourists

Around 10 vehicles were on fire in the street where the four-star Splendid hotel is located in a busy, central area of Ouagadougou.

Burkina 24 / YouTube

Updated: 00.20

GUNSHOTS AND EXPLOSIONS have been heard coming from one of the main hotels in the capital of African country Burkina Faso, according to an AFP journalist who saw three men firing at the scene.

Attackers have killed at least 20 people at a restaurant opposite the four-star hotel where the assailants are now holed up, a senior staff member at a local hospital told the agency.

A police officer was shot trying to reach the Splendid hotel opposite, where the attackers remain, according to officers, with sporadic gunfire continuing.

The Associated Press is reporting that an Al-Qaida affiliate in Africa has already claimed responsibility for the attack, which is still under way.

Around 10 vehicles were on fire in the street where the four-star Splendid hotel is located in a busy, central area of Ouagadougou.

The hotel is regularly used by United Nations staff and westerners.

Reuters reports that hostages have been taken.

The Cappuccino Splendid cafe-restaurant opposite the hotel, also popular with westerners, had also been targeted, a witness who spoke to AFP added.

Police and security forces were at the scene supported by a helicopter.

The attack comes less than two months after a jihadist attack at the Radisson Blu Hotel in the Malian capital Bamako on November 20 in which 20 people died including 14 foreigners.

President sworn in

Last month Burkina Faso swore in Roch Marc Christian Kabore as president, completing the troubled West African state’s transition after the overthrow of its longtime ruler, Blaise Compaore in 2014 and a failed coup attempt in September.

Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets in October 2014 when Compaore sought to extend his rule, forcing him to step down after ruling the poor, landlocked country with an iron fist for 27 years.

Kabore, 58, becomes only the third civilian president of the nine who have held power since the country’s independence from France in 1960.

Originally published: 22.09

Contains reporting by AFP, additional reporting by Nicky Ryan.

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    Nov 5th 2020, 10:40 PM

    I seen Barnardos run a fantastic online safety programme for kids. They do it with schools and with parents, which I believe parents need to know more about this also. Here’s a link to it on their website…. http://www.barnardos.ie/osp

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    Nov 6th 2020, 3:58 AM

    The Journal is one to talk about cyberbullying. If someone disagrees with you here they can call you every name under the sun, as long as their views are ‘liberal’. I’ve seen people here wish death on others for not wearing a face mask or for perceived ‘racism’ and getting hundreds of likes.

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    Nov 6th 2020, 6:59 AM

    @Billy: You’re spot on Billy, people just come here to abuse people, I’m sure of it. There is no way they would open their mouths in the street. Children aren’t learning Online Bullying from themselves.

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    Nov 6th 2020, 1:27 PM

    @Billy: Right or left it’s all just shouting into the back of digital cupboard, the type of country we’re building is one of chips on shoulders, resent everyone, sue where you can, blame game, remember when the ‘Irish were a friendly, welcoming people?’ well that is clearly not what the majority of us want anymore.

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    Nov 5th 2020, 10:52 PM

    Bullying can be absolutely crushing and even moreso when the victim doesn’t have solid support at home and among other friends. Parents aren’t familiar with each other like we used to be. Devices create even more opportunities for bullys where the victims most private spaces at home are no longer a sanctuary.

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    Nov 5th 2020, 10:40 PM

    Cyber everything increased during lockdown

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    Nov 5th 2020, 11:10 PM

    Just sad to see that the bullying rates of the reviewed countries are the highest over here.

    I’m just wondering if parents are aware what their children doing online.

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    Nov 6th 2020, 12:46 AM

    Just block them or take the phones off the kids.

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    Nov 6th 2020, 3:15 AM

    Why does it take Facebook so long to remove hateful and vile comments and videos. What is wrong with them and when you do report something that goes against community standards they than tell you it doesnt. So a video of someone being hateful and using absolute obscene laungauge to another person and being a bully seems to be ok in FB eyes

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    Nov 6th 2020, 1:27 PM

    Feel the hate.

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