“They were looking forward to continuing to working in Burkina Faso and raising their children together”, a statement from Sheltering Wings, the missionary organization that sponsored the orphanage, said.
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But Simon Compaore refused to give any further details while the investigation was ongoing.
“These truly barbaric criminal acts carried out against innocent people, claimed by the criminal organization Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) seek to destabilise our country and its republican institutions, and to undermine efforts to build a democratic, quiet and prosperous nation”, said Mr Kabore.
ISSOUF SANOGO/AFP/Getty Images Forensics experts inspect a vehicle outside Splendid Hotel in Ouagadougou on Monday following the jihadist attack.
They were named as Battar al Ansari, Abu Muhammad al Buqali al Ansari and Ahmed al Fulani al Ansari.
In a statement released online, the group said that the attack was “a new message from the heroic champions of Islam, with their blood and their bodies, to the slaves of the cross, the occupiers of our homes, the looters of our wealth, and who would undermine our security”.
Within 30 minutes the president of Burkina Faso had asked the French ambassador for help, according to a French official who spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to the media.
Riddering was among at least 32 people who died in during a 12-hour attack that began when heavily armed al-Qaeda militants stormed a hotel and cafe and set off auto bombs.
Three French nationals were killed.
At the Ouagadougou crime scene, an 18-strong team of French investigators, including forensic experts, joined local police combing for clues at the hotel and cafe.
As for Riddering, the group says his brother Jeff plans to travel to Burkina Faso to officiate a memorial service.
Six Quebecers on a humanitarian mission with the Congrégation des sœurs de Notre-Dame du Perpétuel Secours, a religious congregation based in nine different countries, were among those killed. Mike Riddering was one of 28 people who were killed.
For its part, McCarthy said Uniterra tries to communicate clearly with volunteers about the risks involved in the work, especially zones in the country which they were not allowed to visit. From there they continued to open fire, and security forces came under fire when leaving the hotel about 4.30am.
JOE PENNEY/REUTERS Pizzas are seen on the terrace of Cappuccino restaurant after the bloody gun attack.
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It was then that Burkinabe and French forces realised the attackers had been hiding at the restaurant.
