The Death Toll from the Attack by Extremist Islamists in Ivory Coast Reaches 18

On Monday, March 15, the Interior Minister of Ivory Coast announced that the death toll from the attack by Islamist militants on a tourist beach has reached 18, including 15 civilians and three special security forces. According to a Reuters report, Hamid Bakayoko also stated that at least 33 people were injured in the attack. At the end of a cabinet meeting, he mentioned that three of the Islamist militants who attacked the beach in the city of Grand-Bassam, located 40 kilometers east of the capital, Abidjan, were also killed. Hours after the attack, Alassane Ouattara, the President of Ivory Coast, held an emergency meeting with the cabinet and the National Security Council, during which a minute of silence was observed in memory of the victims. Meanwhile, the German news agency reported that the name of a German citizen was among the victims of the attack on Grand-Bassam beach, who had been the head of the Goethe Institute in Ivory Coast since 2013. The identity of this 51-year-old German citizen, Henrik Gruhs, has been confirmed. Other foreign victims of the attack were from Cameroon, Burkina Faso, France, and Mali. Reports indicate that the attack occurred on Sunday morning when armed men attacked three hotels on the beach of the historic city of Grand-Bassam and indiscriminately opened fire on the beach. Eyewitnesses reported hearing one of the attackers shouting, 'Allahu Akbar.' The French news agency stated that the North African branch of al-Qaeda has claimed responsibility for the attack. The attack on Sunday has drawn global reactions, with France announcing that Jean-Marc Ayrault and Bernard Cazeneuve, the foreign and interior ministers, will visit Ivory Coast on Tuesday to express condolences to the people. Pope Francis, the leader of the world's Catholics, also condemned the attack as a 'hateful' act. He sent a telegram to the bishop of Grand-Bassam, stating that he prayed for the victims and expressed solidarity with the people of Ivory Coast. He added that he once again condemned violence and hatred in all its forms. This is the first attack in Ivory Coast and the third major attack on a tourist center in West Africa since last November. During an attack on a hotel in Mali and an assault on a hotel and café in Burkina Faso last November, several people were killed. Despite increased security measures in recent months, Islamists were able to attack one of the most important tourist spots for the people of Ivory Coast and foreigners, but as the Interior Minister stated, security forces were able to respond within less than 30 minutes, which is why the casualties were relatively low. Ivorian newspapers published photos of the victims of this incident on Monday. The prominent headline of the newspaper 'Le Patriote' read: 'We are all Grand-Bassam.'