Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb Monday named three gunmen behind a deadly attack on a top Burkina Faso hotel that has highlighted the growing reach of jihadist groups in west Africa, as French police joined in the probe.
Burkinabe troops fanned out across the capital, Ouagadougou, with security stepped up at key sites as visiting Benin President Thomas Boni Yayi pledged that west African nations would fight back against a mounting terrorist threat.
A source close to the investigation said 20 people were arrested on Sunday and Monday in connection with the attack overnight Friday which left 29 people dead, around half of them foreigners.
Some of those were later released, the source added.
Boni Yayi, speaking on behalf of the 15-member Economic Community of West African States, said; "We're not going to just sit on our hands.
We will react and respond".
