Mali began three days of national mourning Monday for victims of an attack at a hotel that left 19 people dead in the capital city Bamako. Senegal, Mauritania and Guinea will also observe the remembrance with their West African neighbor.
“Mali will never be alone in this fight, we are all committed because we are all involved,” Senegal’s President Macky Sall said Sunday, according to Agence France-Presse.
On Friday morning, gunmen stormed the Radisson Blu hotel and held 170 guests and staff hostage until Malian and international forces broke the siege hours later. The assailants have yet to be identified, but two jihadist groups have claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Read more: The Terror Groups That Could Be Behind the Mali Hotel Attack
Mali, a former French colony, has been plagued by violence since Islamic militants took control of the north of the country in 2012. These groups were largely ousted by a French-led military operation in 2013 but continue to launch attacks, including on U.N. peacekeepers stationed in the region.
[AFP]
More Must-Reads From TIME
- Jane Fonda Champions Climate Action for Every Generation
- Biden’s Campaign Is In Trouble. Will the Turnaround Plan Work?
- Why We're Spending So Much Money Now
- The Financial Influencers Women Actually Want to Listen To
- Breaker Sunny Choi Is Heading to Paris
- Why TV Can’t Stop Making Silly Shows About Lady Journalists
- The Case for Wearing Shoes in the House
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Write to Mark Rivett-Carnac at mark.rivett-carnac@timeasia.com