3 terrorists killed and not 6 - Ivorian Interior Minister

Three terrorists were killed in the Grand Bassam attack and not 6, Ivorian Interior Minister has announced after an emergency cabinet meeting.

The official death toll has been put at 18, which includes 15 civilians and 3 members of the security forces.

Al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) claimed responsibility for the attack, the first of its kind to hit the country.

President Alassane Outtara also declared 3 days of national mourning in memory of the death.

#Bassam: Le Président Alassane OUATTARA a décrété un deuil national de 03 jours. pic.twitter.com/6PUzpRBsf2

— Presidenceci (@Presidenceci) March 14, 2016

The victims include a French and the director of the Goethe Institute In Abidjan, Henrike Gross.

Sources also say Lebanon,Burkina Faso and Mali nationals, are also among the dead.

President Alassane Ouattara will address the nation on Monday evening at 20:00 GMT.

“We will continue to strengthen security in Abidjan and throughout the country. “ President Alassane Ouattara said when he visited the scene of the accident shortly after the attack.

He earlier presided over a National Security Council meeting before where a minute silence was observed for the victims.

A minute of silence was observed during the meeting of the National Security Council #Bassam pic.twitter.com/0hVXGGUzDl

— Presidenceci (@Presidenceci) March 14, 2016

Nous sommes Grand Bassam

• Nous sommes Grand Bassam* meaning We are Grand Bassam was the headline of major Ivorian newspapers Monday morning.

Many are still in shock: “I have not slept all night. I cannot believe what I saw yesterday,’‘ said Salata, a saleswoman .

Meanwhile, the French Foreign Minister and Interior Ministers are expected to travel to Ivory Coast on Tuesday to offer support after the attack, the Reuters news agency is reporting.

“The militant’s modus operandi has changed,” Reuters quotes a French official as saying. “Before, they had armies; now they have turned to pure terrorism.”