Deadly shooting at Ivory Coast beach resort

Gunmen opened fire on a beach in Ivory Coast’s seaside town of Grand-Bassam on Sunday, killing 14 civilians and two soldiers. Al Qaeda’s North African branch has claimed the attack. See the day's events as they unfolded on FRANCE 24’s liveblog.

• Al Qaeda-linked militants killed at least 14 civilians and two soldiers when they opened fire on a crowded beach in the resort town of Grand-Bassam, 40 kilometres east of Abidjan, Ivory Coast’s commercial capital.

• The attack was claimed by al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), the terror network’s North African branch, which carried out recent attacks in neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso.

• Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara said six assailants were “neutralised” by security forces.

• Officials said four of the fatalities were European citizens. France has confirmed the death of one of its citizens.

• France, which has 18,000 citiziens in the Ivory Coast, has opened emergency phone lines in Paris (+33.1.43.17.56.46) and Abidjan (+225.20.20.05.44).