Al-Qaeda gunmen drank in bar before unleashing Ivory Coast attack

Gunmen who carried out a murderous attack in the Ivory Coast had calmly downed drinks alongside hotel guests in a beachside bar before opening fire. The al-Qaeda militants spent half an hour “drinking beer”, according to one witness. Christian Eddy said four men arrived in a Ford saloon car at the beachside bar where he works around noon on Sunday. While two remained outside, the two others entered and drank beers – until the shooting began.

They didn’t speak French. They spoke Arabic. We communicated with them in English …. The guys who were still outside started shooting and the two seated at the table yelled ‘Allahu Akbar’ and flipped over the table.

Witness Christian Eddy

Eddy said the first victim was a boy who was made to kneel before he was shot. Bar staff tried to warn a deaf boy who was playing nearby. "People were yelling 'Come over here!’ But he didn’t know what was happening and just went down to the water. They shot him in the water,“ Eddy said. Fifteen civilians and three members of the special forces were killed and 33 people were wounded in the attack in Grand Bassam, a weekend retreat popular with Ivorians and westerners about 40km (25 miles) east of the commercial capital Abidjan. Interior Minister Hamed Bakayoko said another 26 wounded were still receiving medical attention on Monday, as President Alassane Ouattara declared three days of mourning for the country, which has never before been hit by al Qaeda.

Yes, Ivory Coast is on its feet. Yes, on its feet to combat the cowards and protect its people.

President Alassane Ouattara

Ivory Coast