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French military gather evidence at the nightclub. AP/Press Association Images

Two Europeans among five killed, as gunman opens fire in Mali nightclub

“The killer came here because there were foreigners. He wanted to kill foreigners, that’s for sure,” a waiter at the club said.

Updated at 4.20pm

FIVE PEOPLE INCLUDING two Europeans and a Malian police officer were killed in an assault on a Bamako nightclub today, in the first suspected attack targeting Westerners in a city braced for jihadist violence since 2012.

At least one masked gunman entered the club in an area of the Malian capital popular with expatriates around 1am and sprayed the venue with automatic gunfire and threw grenades, witnesses said.

No group claimed responsibility for the attack, although suspicion is likely to focus on Islamist rebels operating in Mali’s vast desert north, which has struggled for stability since a coup three years ago.

Customers of La Terrasse, in Bamako’s lively Hippodrome district, described how the masked assailant arrived in a black four-wheel drive and headed to the upstairs restaurant and bar area to begin shooting.

As he left he lobbed two grenades at a security patrol and one went off, killing a policeman, witnesses said.

“The killer came here because there were foreigners. He wanted to kill foreigners, that’s for sure,” a waiter at the venue told AFP.

“This is a terrorist attack, although we’re waiting for clarification. Provisionally, there are four dead — one French national, a Belgian and two Malians,” a policeman told AFP.

The United Nations MINUSMA peacekeeping force later clarified that a third Malian had died.

Hospital sources said eight people were wounded, including three Swiss nationals, one of them a woman.

An AFP correspondent at the scene in the aftermath witnessed the French victim being stretchered out of the venue.

In the moments after the attack, the body of a police officer and a guard of a private home could be seen in the street outside, while a little further on the body of the Belgian national was also visible.

Dozens of police officers secured the area but witnesses to the attack were initially refusing to testify, fearing reprisals.

‘Death to whites’ 

A police source said two suspects had been arrested and were being interrogated, without revealing their identities or nationalities.

French President Francois Hollande denounced “with the greatest force the cowardly attack”, according to a statement from the presidency which added that he would meet Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita to offer Paris’s help to the former French colony.

“My thoughts are with the victims and their families,” said Didier Reynders, the foreign minister of Belgium, which has confirmed one of its nationals was among the dead.

EU foreign affairs head Federica Mogherini said one of the victims worked with the European Union in Mali, where the 28-nation bloc runs a mission to assist police and national guard forces.

The gunman killed the Belgian and two of the Malians in the street before entering the club, according to a diplomatic source.

“They reportedly shouted ‘Death to whites’ on entering the restaurant… It sounds like an attack against the presence of Europeans. Then they apparently targeted the French national,” the source said.

Zakaria Maiga, who told AFP he was a friend of the French victim, described how they been dancing upstairs when the gunshots rand out.

Maiga said there was immediate panic and he threw himself to the ground, before escaping the club and running to safety.

“Things happened too fast. I did not see the shooter,” he said.

Mali’s vast desert north is riven by ethnic rivalries and an Islamist insurgency.

Jihadists linked to Al-Qaeda controlled an area of desert the size of Texas for more than nine months until a French-led military intervention in 2013 that partly drove them from the region.

Militant uprisings 

The west African nation is also struggling with a militant Tuareg movement that has launched four uprisings since 1962 to fight the army over the territory they claim as their homeland and call Azawad.

But day-to-day life in the capital has been largely unaffected by the northern conflict, and bloodshed blamed on terrorism is rare in the city of 1.8 million.

“It’s the first attack of this type in Bamako,” said Pierre Boilley, an analyst specialising in sub-Saharan Africa.

But he added that it was not clear who the gunman’s target was, pointing out that locals were killed alongside the Europeans.

More than a dozen French citizens have been taken captive in Africa in recent years, but deaths of Westerners at the hands of jihadists in Mali remain an uncommon, if chilling, reminder of the country’s instability.

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb claimed responsibility for the 2013 murders of two French journalists shot dead in Mali’s desert town of Kidal — Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon.

Saturday’s attack came less than 24 hours after UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged Mali’s Tuareg rebel groups to sign a peace deal agreed nearly a week ago in Algeria.

The Malian government signed the agreement last weekend, along with some northern armed groups, but the main Tuareg rebel alliance, known as the Coordination, asked for more time.

- © AFP, 2015

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    Mute Fiona deFreyne
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    Dec 30th 2017, 10:28 AM

    Hopefully, we can all survive this one.

    Irish weather now presents so many warnings that it must have become very dangerous.

    Ohh for the old days, when it was just blustery, cold and rainy. Now it’s colour coded alerts and huge precautions.

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    Mute David O'Connor
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    Dec 30th 2017, 10:31 AM

    @Fiona deFreyne: Do you ever think you need a break from commenting on the journal???

    651
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    Mute Stephen Foster
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    Dec 30th 2017, 10:59 AM

    @David O’Connor: spot on. Sarcastic doom and gloom merchant.

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    Mute Fiona deFreyne
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    Dec 30th 2017, 11:02 AM

    @David O’Connor: for 3 days at Christmas. Thank you for your interest.

    I can at least comment on the subject of the article, a capacity which is clearly beyond you.

    Thank you for all of your comments in 2017 on my inclination to comment.

    80
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    Mute Hall Monitor
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    Dec 30th 2017, 11:06 AM

    @Fiona deFreyne: The only comments directed at you Tony are ones taking the piss out of you.

    90
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    Mute David O'Connor
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    Dec 30th 2017, 11:21 AM

    @Fiona deFreyne: You have the capacity to comment on weather warnings and the weather…… Pretty much the most popular topic of conversation for everyone in Ireland

    38
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    Mute Geffrey Kane
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    Dec 30th 2017, 12:02 PM

    @Fiona deFreyne: I find these warnings to be quite important to me personally, since I live on a boat and all. It’s good to have advance warnings so we can prepare adequately. Even if the warnings are over stated once in a while.

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    Mute gregory
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    Dec 30th 2017, 12:09 PM

    @David O’Connor: Hmm….I’m inclined to think Fiona de F is actually a team ? No 1 man or woman could post so quickly on so many articles ?

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    Mute Tom Harpur
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    Dec 30th 2017, 12:15 PM

    @gregory: Gregory Fiona De F is probably a team of journal journalists whipping up a frenzy in the comments

    56
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    Mute David O'Connor
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    Dec 30th 2017, 12:32 PM

    @gregory: Bang on…. How could someone know so much about every topic in the world, has to be a team of experts.

    49
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    Mute Tom Kelly
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    Dec 30th 2017, 12:47 PM

    @Fiona deFreyne: take the warnings or don’t take them! We all have a choice?

    24
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    Mute Ollie Moore
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    Dec 30th 2017, 2:08 PM

    @David O’Connor: its an algorithm

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    Mute selfsustainable
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    Dec 30th 2017, 2:42 PM

    @David O’Connor: when you’ve nothing better to do than Google all day, take bits from articles and post as own comment, that’s how she/he does it…..expert mehole! Waffler more like!

    25
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    Mute George Salter
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    Dec 30th 2017, 3:52 PM

    @David O’Connor: Ability to comment doesn’t imply expertise. In fact, ability to comment on everything might well suggest the opposite; polymaths are rare…

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    Mute Greased Up Deaf Guy
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    Dec 30th 2017, 4:35 PM

    @David O’Connor: Mossy’s female alter ego

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    Mute Turk Oneeighttwo
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    Dec 30th 2017, 6:00 PM

    @Fiona deFreyne: Good man Tony, must be nearly time for a further alter-ego, are you not getting tired of being know-all Fiona? You were better fun when you were good ‘ole know-all Tony…

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    Mute Deborah Behan
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    Dec 30th 2017, 6:19 PM

    @David O’Connor: ah here come the men to tell a woman to shut up. You know there is a mute button for you tender souls?

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    Mute Seamus Ryan
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    Dec 30th 2017, 7:03 PM

    @Greased Up Deaf Guy: hello Gucci

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    Mute Pádraig Ó Braonáin
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    Dec 30th 2017, 9:23 PM

    @David O’Connor: I actually like her comments, and don’t see anything wrong with them…..what is wrong with you guys?

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    Mute Greased Up Deaf Guy
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    Dec 30th 2017, 10:30 PM

    @Seamus Ryan: Good day sir, greetings to you and yours this festive season!

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    Mute Cathal O'hÁodhagáin
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    Dec 30th 2017, 10:41 AM

    So it’s stopping at the border?How convenient

    96
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    Mute Rich Walsh
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    Dec 30th 2017, 6:04 PM

    @Cathal O’hÁodhagáin: Part of the brexit negotiations deal

    27
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    Mute Garreth Byrne
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    Dec 30th 2017, 10:41 AM

    All these near-colliding wavy lines and streaky rainbow colours tell me that our meteorologists have done art appreciation and art history courses. Their weather charts are a mixture of expressionist and kinetic modern art styles. IMMA curators should consider an exhibition funded by the Arts Council/Comhairle Ealaion.

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    Mute oliverjumelle
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    Dec 30th 2017, 11:25 AM

    He will be blowin in the wind

    37
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    Mute Pilib O Muiregan
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    Dec 30th 2017, 11:33 AM

    @oliverjumelle: , No some one will give him shelter from the storm

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    Mute Mick Power
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    Dec 30th 2017, 12:14 PM

    @Pilib O Muiregan: a hard rain’s a gonna fall

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    Mute Patrick J. O'Rourke
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    Dec 30th 2017, 1:03 PM

    @oliverjumelle: Met.ie warnings come from all along the watchtower.

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    Mute JimmyMc
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    Dec 30th 2017, 6:16 PM

    @oliverjumelle: here comes the story of the hurricane

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    Mute Patrick J. O'Rourke
    Favourite Patrick J. O'Rourke
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    Dec 30th 2017, 7:54 PM

    @Con O’Driscoll: Maybe the next storm will be Storm Jimi to validate that comment. As we know he was a massive Dylan fan.

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    Mute Sean Conway
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    Dec 30th 2017, 10:51 AM

    Send vatadkar out in his socks. he’ll protect us

    66
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    Mute Brian Foley
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    Dec 30th 2017, 11:07 AM

    We might finally find out how many roads a man must walk down before you call him a man!

    37
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    Mute Denis McClean
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    Dec 30th 2017, 12:38 PM

    On a more serious note … if you look at the European weather warnings on met.ie, you will see that Israel has very quietly joined Europe while Lebanon and Syria, which are closer, are barred. Can one of our underemployed MEP’s please nudge the Apartheid Theocracy back to the Middle East and oblige.

    28
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    Mute Austin Rock
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    Dec 30th 2017, 2:08 PM

    @Denis McClean: It won’t be long before Israel is a full member of the EU, this will be facilitated by European guilt of countries like Germany, Austria etc and good friends like Israel. In fact I am surprised they have not actually joined NATO.

    19
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    Mute Aidan Conway
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    Dec 30th 2017, 11:40 PM

    @Con O’Driscoll: lol christ was a Palestinian! Not an Israeli

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    Mute Eric
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    Dec 30th 2017, 10:39 AM

    Great.let s go surfing

    20
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    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
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    Dec 30th 2017, 1:02 PM

    Time to take in the garden chairs so.

    19
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    Mute Damian O'Brien
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    Dec 30th 2017, 6:08 PM

    With the impending arrival of Storm Dylan, “A Hard Days Rain’s a-Gonna Fall” while we are all “Blowin’ in the Wind.” So listen to Met Eireann’s (National Weather Service) advice; Take “Shelter from the storm” in case it turns into a “Hurricane”. Say a prayer that “Maggie’s Farm” survives and when “Highway 61 is Revisited,” hope it isn’t closed due to flooding.

    I’ll get me coat.

    15
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    Mute James O'Brien
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    Dec 30th 2017, 10:46 AM

    No it won’t. Just like the rest of the warnings a proportion of the country will.

    14
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    Mute the phantom
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    Dec 30th 2017, 11:40 AM

    They should only issue weather warnings on weekdays

    10
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    Mute David Dineen
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    Dec 30th 2017, 10:42 AM

    Damm fine geal and their weather policy, what we need is garlic man to fix this mess, repeal the 13th etcetera

    14
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    Mute Seeking Truth
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    Dec 30th 2017, 9:11 PM

    Feeling sick to my stomach thinking about power outages after 6 days with no power after Ophelia. Hope everyone fares ok through the wind and storm!!!

    8
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    Mute Aidan Conway
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    Dec 30th 2017, 11:44 PM

    @Seeking Truth: its not a Storm it’s a gale
    Fresh Gale to Strong Gale 65-85kph winds as forecast above

    1
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    Mute ed w
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    Dec 30th 2017, 10:48 AM

    Just get through and get lost. things to do tommorrow

    5
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    Mute Shane Zerbe
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    Dec 30th 2017, 7:58 PM

    Another weather warning? Dreading possibly having to pick up the bins!

    4
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    Mute Aidan Conway
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    Dec 30th 2017, 11:23 PM

    Another storm? We have them all the time! We live a on the edge of the Atlantic!
    Another poor excuse for ESB networks to issue warnings of power cuts….. Can they not secure our network from common weather occur ancestors like wind? And storms?
    Wait and see more trees will be chopped down as a result.. Totally un-necessary… With health safety excuse. We need the shelter and Carbon storage they provide.

    3
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    Mute Aidan Conway
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    Dec 30th 2017, 11:31 PM

    Storm!??
    The forecast above is for 65-85koh winds…. This is beaufort scale force 8 to 9. Which is Fresh Gale to Strong Gale…. Not a Storm!
    Let’s not lose the plot!
    Why can’t the Esb secure supply in a gale? On the West Coast gales are very common.

    2
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    Mute Patrick J. O'Rourke
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    Dec 31st 2017, 1:45 AM

    Gusts of 130kph are forecast and judging by the sound of them on my roof I’m going downstairs.

    3
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    Mute Sandra Clifford
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    Dec 31st 2017, 2:16 AM

    Bit of wind and rain as usual typical wintry day in ireland no need to panic

    1
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    Mute John Culhane
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    Dec 31st 2017, 5:01 PM

    What storm

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