Pretoria – The South African government has joined the international community in condemning the terrorist attacks that took place at a restaurant and a hotel in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
The Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) militants attacked the hotel and took hostages there on Friday.
A total of 126 hostages were freed and four attackers were killed on Saturday as security operations at the Splendid Hotel in Burkina Faso’s capital ended.
The Splendid Hotel, not far from the capital city’s international airport, often hosts Westerners, including United Nations staff and journalists.
Some 23 people were killed, and over 40 were receiving treatment in major hospitals in Ouagadougou.
The four attackers, two of which are women, were killed during the rescue operation according to the country’s Security Minister Simon Compaore.
“South Africa stands firmly with the rest of the international community in its condemnation of these senseless attacks targeting innocent civilians and reiterates its stance that terrorism, in whatever form and from whichever quarter, cannot be condoned,” said President Jacob Zuma on Friday.
President Zuma also conveyed condolences to President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré and people of Burkina Faso, particularly the families of the victims.
