Assault on Burkina Faso hotel

Islamist gunmen have been killed after they entered an upmarket hotel in Burkina Faso's capital, killing at least 20 people and taking hostages.

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE BURKINA FASO ATTACK:

- Gunmen storm Splendid Hotel and cafe in Burkina Faso capital Ouagadougou

- they detonated a car bomb in front of the hotel entrance, witnesses say, torched cars and fired in the air

- take hostages in hotel, woman says they were targeting whites

- jihadist group al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb claims responsibility

- 20 people killed, hospital director says

- operation to retake hotel begins supported by French Special Forces and US intelligence agents

- 126 hostages freed, 3 jihadists killed by security forces

- hotel often frequented by foreigners and UN personnel

- attack less than two months after Radisson Blu hotel in Mali capital Bamako was assaulted on November 20, killing 20, by same group.