Those who make a living off tourism believed the attack on three hotels Sunday would deal it a huge blow.
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Ivory Coast is the third West African country to be hit recently by the extremist group al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb.
Olivier Koffi puts his head in his hands as he contemplates his future selling jewelry on Grand-Bassam beach where a gruesome attack by extremists killed 19. The statement said that France will support Ivory Coast’s counter-terrorism measures and affirmed that “co-operation between all states menaced by terrorist groups, notably in West Africa, must intensify more than ever”. Bakamoko said 15 civilians and three special forces were killed, up from 14 and two respectively. The attack came as the government seeks to revitalise a once lucrative tourism industry that was shattered by the crisis years.
“I present my condolences to the families of the people who were murdered, and of course I am very proud of our security forces who reacted so fast”, Ouattara said outside the Etoile du Sud, one of the targeted hotels.
Nick Amon, an abstract artist popular with foreigners, teaches street children how to paint and relies heavily on tourist dollars.
Ivory Coast will reinforce its borders and beef up security on beaches, government spokesman Kone said.
The nationalities of the attackers remains unknown, he said.
Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb claimed responsibility for the attack, according to SITE Intelligence Group which monitors jihadist websites. Victims included visitors from Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Mali and Germany, along with four French citizens who died in the assault.
French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said about 10 GIGN troops would be stationed in the capital of neighbouring Burkina Faso and could even intervene if needed.
The French president’s office has announced that the toll of French killed in the attack by Islamic extremists on an Ivory Coast beach resort town has risen to four.
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia said her country mourns with the people of Ivory Coast and recommended a strategy and comprehensive approach in fighting against terrorism which should be within the context of ECOWAS and the Mano River Union, an intergovernmental institution comprising of Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and Ivory Coast.
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Regional leaders will be visiting Ivory Coast in the coming weeks to show solidarity, said Kone. “All of us are in this together”.
