Gunmen have attacked a hotel used by Westerners in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, taking hostages and reportedly killing at least 20 people.
Several masked men stormed the Splendid Hotel taking hostages after car bombs went off outside, eyewitnesses said.
French ambassador Gilles Thibault tweeted that an operation tao free the hostages was under way. Witnesses said part of the hotel was on fire.
Hospital chief Robert Sangare said at least 20 people died and 15 were hurt.
One group that monitors jihadist networks said al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb claimed it was behind the attack.
Witnesses said the gunmen had initially entered the Cappuccino cafe near the hotel - used by UN staff and Westerners. One employee at the cafe told Agence France Presse that "several people" had been killed there.
Eyewitnesses reported hearing exchanges of gunfire between the men and security forces, as well as sporadic gunfire from inside the four-star hotel, which is close to the country's international airport.