Gunmen have attacked a hotel used by Westerners in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, taking hostages and reportedly killing at least 20 people.<br />Several masked men stormed the Splendid Hotel taking hostages after car bombs went off outside, eyewitnesses said.<br />French ambassador Gilles Thibault tweeted that an operation tao free the hostages was under way. Witnesses said part of the hotel was on fire.<br />Hospital chief Robert Sangare said at least 20 people died and 15 were hurt.<br />One group that monitors jihadist networks said al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb claimed it was behind the attack.<br />Witnesses said the gunmen had initially entered the Cappuccino cafe near the hotel - used by UN staff and Westerners. One employee at the cafe told Agence France Presse that "several people" had been killed there.<br />Eyewitnesses reported hearing exchanges of gunfire between the men and security forces, as well as sporadic gunfire from inside the four-star hotel, which is close to the country's international airport.
