Misplaced Pages

#634365

52-524: On 15 January 2016, gunmen armed with heavy weapons attacked the Cappuccino restaurant and the Splendid Hotel in the heart of Ouagadougou , the capital of Burkina Faso . The number of fatalities reached 30, while at least 56 were wounded; a total of 176 hostages were released after a government counter-attack into the next morning as the siege ended. Three perpetrators were also killed. The nearby YIBI hotel

104-527: A Boko Haram insurgency. In Burkina Faso, the 2014 Burkinabé uprising ousted President Blaise Compaoré , while the consequent 2015 Burkinabe coup d'état , in relation to the electoral process, was eventually put down under pressure from the African Union . The November 2015 general election resulted in Roch Marc Christian Kaboré becoming president of Burkina Faso . Burkina Faso is part of

156-431: A double-tap to the torso fails to stop an attacker, adding a third shot to the head. In the double-tap technique, after the first round is fired, the shooter quickly reacquires the sights for a fast second shot. This skill can be practiced by firing two shots at a time, taking time between the shots to reacquire the sights. With practice, the time between shots becomes briefer and briefer until it seems to an observer as if

208-694: A government counterattack, a total of 176 hostages were released the morning after the initial attack. Three of the perpetrators were also killed. The jihadist insurgency continued with major attacks in 2017 and 2018 . Ouagadougou's climate is hot semi-arid ( BSh ) under Köppen-Geiger classification , and closely borders with tropical wet and dry ( Aw ). The city is part of the Sudano-Sahelian area, with annual rainfall of about 800 mm (31 in). The rainy season stretches from May to September, with an average temperature of 28 °C (82.4 °F). The cool season runs from October to February, with

260-587: A green space that was renovated in 1996, is a symbol of the twin-city relationship between Ouagadougou and Loudun in France. It is situated in the centre of the city, near the "Nation Unies' crossroads". There are a number of cultural and art venues, such as the Maison du Peuple and Salle des Banquets, in addition to performances of many genres of music, including traditional folk music, modern music, and rap . Several international festivals and activities are organized within

312-473: A minimum average temperature of 16 °C (60.8 °F). The maximum temperature during the hot season, which runs from March to April, can reach 43 °C (109.4 °F). The harmattan (a dry wind) and the West African Monsoon are the two main factors that determine Ouagadougou's climate. Being further north, Ouagadougou's warmest months are slightly hotter and drier than those of Bobo-Dioulasso ,

364-449: A population of 2,415,266 in 2019. The city's name is often shortened to Ouaga . The inhabitants are called ouagalais . The spelling of the name Ouagadougou is derived from the French orthography common in former French African colonies . Ouagadougou's primary industries are food processing and textiles . It is served by an international airport and is linked by rail to Abidjan in

416-588: A rapid burst; this feature was intended to improve the single shot hit probability of the rifle. Double taps are an integral part of the El Presidente combat pistol shooting drill developed by Jeff Cooper during the 1970s and published in the January/February 1979 issue of American Handgunner . Also developed by Cooper during the 1970s is the Mozambique Drill or Failure Drill, for a situation whereby

468-444: A restaurant of one of the biggest hotels in the capital of Burkina Faso, and are now entrenched and the clashes are continuing with the enemies of the religion." The group also "asserted the fall of many dead Crusaders." Eyewitnesses said the perpetrators were "light-skinned" and spoke a language not native to the country. Later, two of the attackers were found to be black and one Arab. Of the initially reported six gunmen, at least two of

520-462: A wide array of sports, including association football, basketball, and volleyball. There are tournaments and activities organized by the local authorities. The Stade du 4-Août is the home of Étoile Filante de Ouagadougou , the city's main football team. Ouagadougou has both state and private hospitals. The two state hospitals in the city are the Centre hospitalier national Yalgado Ouedraogo (CHNYO) and

572-451: Is twinned with: The Bangr-Weoogo urban park (area: 2.63 km (1 sq mi)), before colonialism, belonged to the Mosse chiefs. Considering it a sacred forest, many went there for traditional initiations or for refuge. The French colonists, disregarding its local significance and history, established it as a park in the 1930s. In 1985, renovations were done in the park. In January 2001,

SECTION 10

#1732852435635

624-550: Is based on industry and commerce. Some industrial facilities have relocated from Bobo-Dioulasso to Ouagadougou, which has made the city an important industrial centre of Burkina Faso. The industrial areas of Kossodo and Gounghin are home to several processing plants and factories. The industry of Ouagadougou is sector that fuels urban growth, as people move to the city from the countryside to find employment in industry. The Copromof workshop in Ouagadougou sews cotton lingerie for

676-472: Is connected by passenger rail service to Bobo-Dioulasso , Koudougou and Ivory Coast . As of June 2014, Sitarail operates a passenger train three times a week along the route from Ouagadougou to Abidjan. There are freight services to Kaya in the north of Burkina Faso and in 2014 plans were announced to revive freight services to the Manganese mine at Tambao starting in 2016. The economy of Ouagadougou

728-501: Is largely because Ouagadougou constitutes a 'cultural centre' by merit of holding the SIAO (International Arts and Crafts fair) and the FESPACO (Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou). Moreover, the villages' growing affluence allows for such investment, and the population's rapid growth necessitates it. Though literacy in Ouagadougou is not high, there are three universities in

780-652: Is reported to have instructed SOE personnel in the double tap from 1944 to 1945 at the SOE training school directed by Fairbairn and Sykes near Arisaig in Scotland . The term double tap is now used to describe the more general technique of firing two rounds quickly and accurately to disable an opponent. The tactic is still used by firearms handlers, police tactical teams, military personnel, counter-terrorist combat units, and other special operations forces personnel. The Russian assault rifle AN-94 can automatically shoot two bullets in

832-549: Is to overthrow the Algerian government and create an Islamic State in its place, claimed responsibility for the attack. SITE Intelligence Group translated a document that outlined the reason for the attack "revenge against France and the disbelieving West" and that the militants were part of the Mali-based Al-Mourabitoun group. It also quoted a statement from the group as reading: "[The] mujahideen brothers...broke into

884-466: Is widespread and concentrated around markets and major roads, as well as in outlets in neighborhoods. There are also instances of modern economic practices with workplaces having qualified, stable labor forces, or more traditional forms of business such as family businesses. The tertiary sector is also an important part of the economy. This comprises communications, banking, transport, bars, restaurants, hotels, as well as administrative jobs. Ouagadougou

936-621: The G5 Sahel countries formed to counter insurgent attacks. The Splendid Hotel was sometimes used by French troops who were part of the Chad-based Operation Barkhane . The United States had approximately 75 military personnel in the country, including 15 assigned to the embassy and about 60 who provide "security assistance" – training, advising and assisting. Earlier in the day, at about 14:00 local time, approximately 20 "heavily-armed unidentified individuals" attacked gendarmerie in

988-464: The Hague Conventions regarding non-expanding ammunition, and improved penetration. FMJ rounds can sometimes fail to cause sufficient damage (at least when compared to expanding bullets), requiring more hits and better shot placement. In Ian Dear's book Sabotage and Subversion about British Special Operations Executive (SOE) and United States Office of Strategic Services (OSS) forces, Fairbairn

1040-537: The International Evangelism Center . Double tap The origin of the double-tap technique is credited to William Ewart Fairbairn and Eric A. Sykes , British police chiefs working in Shanghai during the 1930s who developed the technique in order to overcome the limitations of full-metal-jacketed (FMJ) ammunition. FMJ ammunition is commonly used by militaries for feeding reliability, adherence to

1092-596: The Ivory Coast and, for freight only, to Kaya . There are several highways linking the city to Niamey , Niger , south to Ghana, and southwest to Ivory Coast . Ouagadougou has one of West Africa's largest markets, which burned down in 2003 and has since reopened with better facilities and improved fire-prevention measures. Other attractions include the National Museum of Burkina Faso, the Moro-Naba Palace (site of

SECTION 20

#1732852435635

1144-728: The Moro-Naba Ceremony ), the National Museum of Music , and several craft markets. Ouagadougou was founded possibly as early as 1050 CE by the Soninke Wangara diaspora from the Ghana Empire , also known as Wagadu. The name Wagadugu means 'home of the Wagu', the Soninke subgroup that ruled Ghana. Ouagadougou is a Francophone spelling of this name. The Mossi people , moving north in

1196-529: The 14th century, conquered Wagadugu around the same time they raided Walata , contributing to the decline of the Mali Empire . According to legend, the city was taken by Oubri, a grandson of Ouedraogo . The eponymous Wagadugu Kingdom was founded in the 15th century, which became the main center of the Mossi States around 1495. The 10th Moro Naba, Nyadfo, was the first Moro-Naba to live at Ouagadougou, in

1248-519: The Centre hospitalier national pédiatrique Charles de Gaulle (CHNP-CDG). Despite that, the local population still largely can only afford traditional local medicine and the "pharmacopée". Thomas Sankara International Airport Ouagadougou (code OUA) serves the area with flights to West Africa and Europe . Air Burkina has its head office in the Air Burkina Storey Building (French: Immeuble Air Burkina ) in Ouagadougou. Ouagadougou

1300-546: The French label "Atelier Augusti." Ouagadougou is an important commercial centre. It is a centre where goods are collected and directed to rural areas. With a large consumer base, large amounts of energy sources, raw materials for buildings, agricultural products and livestock products are imported to the city. The economy is dominated by the informal sector , which is characterized by petty commodity production, and workers not necessarily having salaries. Traditional, informal trade

1352-411: The area is blocked by security forces waiting for an assault to free the hostages." According to the head of the city's main hospital there were 20 confirmed deaths, while an unnamed Cappuccino staff member said several people had been killed at the restaurant. At least 20 people were wounded. Robert Sangare, director of Ouagadougou's university hospital centre, said that one European woman being treated at

1404-409: The attack scene at about lunchtime. Kaboré said it was "a barbaric attack that we must fight." National mourning was observed for 72 hours. The French embassy announced that a "terrorist attack" was underway and urged its citizens to avoid the area. It added that it had no idea if there were any French citizens inside the hotel. The U.S. embassy issued a statement on Twitter indicating that while it

1456-417: The attacks. Ouagadougou Ouagadougou or Wagadugu ( / ˌ w ɑː ɡ ə ˈ d uː ɡ uː / , Mossi : Waogdgo Mossi: [ˈwɔɣədəɣʊ] , Dyula : Wagadugu , French : Ouagadougou French: [waɡaduɡu] ) is the capital of Burkina Faso , and the administrative, communications, cultural and economic centre of the nation. It is also the country's largest city , with

1508-469: The attacks. In announcing the deaths of his fellow citizens, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned "these senseless acts of violence on innocent civilians." Reporting that Ukrainians were killed, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin stated that he was "shocked by the attack" that was "a tragedy for all of us..." U.S. State Department Spokesman John Kirby later offered condolences on

1560-430: The building. Two groups of security forces entered the main lobby five hours after the siege began, as gunfire was reported. RTB reported intense gunfire for 40 minutes in the direction of the hotel. It further noted that about 33 hostages had been freed by security forces, including Minister of Public Services, Labour and Social Security Clément Sawadogo , according to Dandjinou. Gunfire reportedly subsided after an hour of

1612-710: The city and that at least one military member in the country was giving "advice and assistance" to French forces at the hotel. Dozens of the French forces came in from neighbouring Mali. French medical teams were sent to provide support, while forensic officers were also sent to the city. Following the end of the siege at the Splendid Hotel, the Yibi hotel, located next to Cappuccino, was under attack, according to Interior Minister Simon Compaoré . It followed him saying that nearby hotels were being checked to make sure attackers were not hiding there. At about 07:30, government forces entered

2016 Ouagadougou attacks - Misplaced Pages Continue

1664-463: The city. The largest is the state University of Ouagadougou , which was founded in 1974. In 2010 it had around 40,000 students (83% of the national population of university students). The city's official language is French and the principal local languages are More , Dyula and Fulfulde . The bilingual program in schools (French plus one of the local languages) was established in 1994. International schools include: Ouagadougou's inhabitants play

1716-468: The colonial administration made Ouagadougou the capital of the Upper Volta territory, extensively rebuilding the town. In 1954 the railroad line from Ivory Coast reached the city, spurring massive population growth. On 15 January 2016, gunmen armed with heavy weapons attacked central Ouagadougou at the Cappuccino restaurant and the Splendid Hotel. 28 people were killed, and at least 56 wounded; after

1768-457: The counter-attack, while bodies were seen outside the hotel. The Splendid Hotel siege ended in the morning with the release of 176 hostages, according to Compoare, almost half of whom were injured in the process. A group of U.S. and French soldiers came to the site, while a curfew was instated from 23:00 to 06:00. An unnamed U.S. Defence Department official said that France had requested its intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance support in

1820-430: The country's second most populous city. Ouagadougou's first municipal elections were held in 1956. The city is divided into five arrondissements , consisting of 30 sectors, which are subdivided into districts. Districts of Ouagadougou include Gounghin, Kamsaoghin, Koulouba, Moemmin, Niogsin, Paspanga, Peuloghin, Bilbalogho, and Tiendpalogo. Ouagadougou's communes have invested in huge city-management projects. This

1872-575: The death of his fellow citizen and added that his family "are with all those affected by this brutality." The U.S. embassy called it a "senseless assault on innocent people." Regional neighbor Algeria's Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra also condemned the attacks and expressed its solidarity with the families of the victims, the government and the Burkinabé people. Ghana's President John Mahama appointed his former chief of staff, Prosper Douglas Bani , as interior minister to reinforce domestic security following

1924-429: The first hotel and one in the second hotel. Ten bodies were found at the Cappuccino across the street from the hotel by firefighters. One of the hostages was an Indian citizen, while at least one of the other wounded was French and another was from the U.S. Persons of 18 nationalities were initially reported as being among the dead. These included: eight locals from Burkina Faso, six Canadians, four of whom were members of

1976-433: The four perpetrators found were women, according to an announcement by Kaboré. Compoare added that the bodies of three "very young" attackers were found and that they were no older than 26 years old. It was reported on 22 January that three of the six attackers were still on the run. President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré presided over an emergency cabinet meeting and then, along with Prime Minister Paul Kaba Thieba arrived at

2028-642: The heart of Ouagadougou on Avenue Kwame Nkrumah. Both places are frequented by businessmen and foreigners. A dinner of the ASECNA , which was attended by 200 people, was taking place in the hotel. Some of the perpetrators arrived at the hotel during the day and mingled with guests, while others joined them after nightfall. As Ouagadougou Airport is about 1.5 kilometres (1 mi) from the attack site, Air France and Turkish Airlines flights were diverted to Niamey , Niger. Foreign Minister Alpha Barry said: "We know that there are victims and there are hostages. Currently

2080-478: The hospital had said that the perpetrators appeared to target white people. Other survivors, including a Slovenian social anthropologist and a French architect, also reported witnessing white people being "singled out" and double tapped by the attackers. About 10 ambulances were used to ferry the wounded to the hospital through the night. At 01:00 the next day, the hall was set on fire as commandos tried to free an unknown number of hostages, using explosives to enter

2132-423: The hotel on foot, while sharp shooters were reportedly on the roofs of nearby buildings. Radio Omega reported that a fourth attacker had been killed after seeking refuge at the hotel. The gunmen were initially reported to have killed 20 people, but this number was later revised upward to a total of 30 people with one death in the second hotel; at least 56 other people were injured. Three militants were also killed at

2016 Ouagadougou attacks - Misplaced Pages Continue

2184-429: The matter as quickly as possible." However, the couple were later said to be Australian. On 15 January 2016 at 19:30, according to Communications Minister Remi Dandjinou, six or seven turbaned gunmen, reportedly arrived in four-wheel drive cars and burnt ten vehicles. They attacked the Cappuccino restaurant, which had about 100 guests, according to RTB , and then took hostages at the 147-room four-star Splendid Hotel in

2236-461: The middle of the 17th century. It became the permanent capital under the 21st Moro Naba, Zombre, a century later. The Moro-Naba Ceremony is still performed every Friday by the Moro-Naba and his court. The 24th Moro Naba, Doulougou, built the first mosque in Ouagadougou early in the nineteenth century. On September 5th 1896 French forces entered Ouagadougou and burned the city to the ground. In 1919

2288-620: The municipality, such as FESPACO (Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou), which is Africa's largest festival of this type, SIAO (International Art and Craft Fair), FESPAM (Pan-African Music Festival), FITMO (International Theatre and Marionnette Festival) and FESTIVO. The most common places of worship are Muslim mosques. There are also numerous Christian churches: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Ouagadougou ( Catholic Church ), Association of Reformed Evangelical Church of Burkina Faso ( World Communion of Reformed Churches ), Assemblies of God , Deeper Life Bible Church , and

2340-475: The park was renamed "Parc Urbain Bangr-Weoogo", meaning "the urban park of the forest of knowledge". Another notable park in Ouagadougou is the "L'Unité Pédagogique", which shelters animals in a semi-free state. This botanic garden/biosphere system stretches over 8 ha (20 acres) and also serves as a museum for the country's history. "Jardin de l'amitié Ouaga-Loudun" (Garden of Ouaga-Loudun Friendship), with

2392-530: The people of Burkina Faso in the face of this odious and cowardly attack which has struck Ouagadougou." Prime Minister Manuel Valls added on Twitter: "By striking Burkina Faso, terrorists have again struck the world. Together we will respond and we will overcome. #JeSuisOuaga" President of the National Assembly of Ivory Coast Guillaume Soro expressed his "compassion and solidarity" to the "government and people." Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned

2444-602: The same family from Lac-Beauport, Quebec , another family friend and a member of their visiting party, four Ukrainians of the same family, two each from Switzerland and France, and one each from Portugal, the Netherlands, Italy, Libya and the United States. The latter was working for the Christian group Sheltering Wings . A dual French-Moroccan victim, who was shot multiple times, died in an Ouagadougou hospital three days later. She

2496-401: The shooter is just pulling the trigger twice very quickly. According to a U.S. Army training manual, "There is a natural arc of the front sight post after the round is fired and the recoil kicks in. The soldier lets the barrel go with this arc and immediately brings the front sight post back on target and takes a second shot. The soldier does not fight the recoil. In combat, soldiers shoot until

2548-504: The village of Tin Abao, near the border with Mali, according to the army. The Security Ministry's Spokeswoman Abi Ouattara also announced that an Austrian couple were kidnapped in the night in northern Burkina Faso near the border with Mali in the Baraboulé area's village of Djibo. Austrian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Thomas Schnoell added that more information was not known but they were "looking into

2600-558: Was Leila Alaoui , a photographer on assignment for Amnesty International . The two Swiss dead were Georgie Lamon , a former cantonal member of parliament, and Jean-Noël Rey , a former Swiss member of parliament and head of the Swiss post and telecommunications service . Both had been visiting a school created by an association to which they belonged. Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb , an Islamist militant organization whose ultimate goal

2652-467: Was aware of the situation, there was no indication of any citizens inside the hotel and also urged its citizens to avoid the downtown area of Ouagadougou. The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office issued a similar advisory. French President François Hollande issued a statement early in the morning of 16 January that read: "The President of the Republic expresses his total support for President Kaboré and for

SECTION 50

#1732852435635

2704-535: Was then under siege, where another attacker was killed. Notably, former Swiss MPs Jean-Noël Rey and Georgie Lamon were killed. Responsibility for the attack was claimed by Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and Al-Mourabitoun . Following the Libyan Civil War , neighboring Mali was wracked by instability, including Islamist attacks, in the Northern Mali conflict . Neighboring countries also experienced

#634365