Gunfire, Explosions, Hostage Situation As Jihadists Attack Luxury Radisson Hotel in Mali - Reports
https://www.rt.com/news/322797-jihadists-attack-bamako-hotel/
"A 190 room luxury Radisson Hotel in Bamako, West Africa, is reportedly under attack from jihadists. Shooting and blasts are heard, and a hostage situation is underway..."
#Bamako
[url=http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2014/09/mali-forgotten-war-2014.... 2014:] Mali: The forgotten war[/url]
France launched its military intervention in Mali in January 2013 with the mandate to stop an uprising of various militant groups in the north, threatening the stability and sovereignty of the country. The goal was then to free the northern part of the country from jihadist occupation, bring back peace, and restore Malian sovereignty on the whole territory. Although France's defence minister announced that the so-called "Operation Serval" had "fulfilled its mission", Mali is hardly a peaceful place today.As Mali fell into a media blackout, France announced it was reorganising its military presence into "Operation Barkhane". No one seems to be asking why the French are still there, how long they will stay and more importantly - doesn't their intervention constitute a form of neo-imperialism?
Yes, French forces are still in Mali and there are several Mali threads if people wish to review. Again, much of the trouble can be traced back to the aftermath of the destruction of Libya, approved unanimously by the Canadian parliament of the day and a NATO airwar led by a Canadian RCAF General, the war-criminal Charles Bouchard, now CEO of Lockheed Martin Canada.
Over 18 Reported Dead in Mali Hotel, Hostage Crisis Over (updates)
https://www.rt.com/news/322818-mali-hotel-hostage-siege/
Reports are that 27 were killed in this attack.
I am absolutely furious that the MSM are giving this terrorist attack minimal coverage in comparision to the Paris attacks.
Why the double standard?
And why haven't the French (and Americans) who are in town at the Mali Hotel driven out the terrorists from the hotel yet?
Apparently the attackers were able to bypass hotel security in 'diplomatic vehicles with official plates', some reports say..
Behind Closed Doors: USA Involved in Mali SInce 9/11
https://www.rt.com/usa/322948-us-africom-mali-terrorism/
"...US Africa Command (AFRICOM) has confirmed that two special operatives assisted Malian Security Forces during the hostage siege at the Raddison Blu hotel in Bamoko on Friday.
An Al Qaeda group has claimed responsibility for the attack, which killed at least 20 people. About a dozen Americans were at the hotel for a conference at the time, including several employees of the US Embassy in Bamako, State Department spokesman John Kirby confirmed.
Classified documents shown to NBC News indicate that US special operatives in Mali have been assisting the government in Bamako with anti-terrorist operations since 2001. AFRICOM has been in charge of these efforts since the command was established in 2007."
