Mali has vowed to help Burkina Faso tackle Islamist militants after a hotel attack in Ouagadougou left 29 people dead at the weekend.
Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) said the jihadist group al-Murabitoun was behind the attack.
The two said they were jointly behind a similar attack on a hotel in Mali in November where 22 people were killed.
AQIM is based in the Sahara Desert between Mali, Niger and Algeria and has attacked West African countries.
This is the first time the group has targeted Burkina Faso.
Mali’s Prime Minister Modibo Keita travelled to Burkina Faso, which borders Mali to the south, on Sunday.
“Mali has experienced such events and continues to experience them,” Mr Keita said on arrival in the capital, Ouagadougou.
“It is thus our duty to come here and express our compassion and say that we have decided to go forward together, hand in hand, to fight against terrorism and jihadism,” AFP news agency quotes Mr Keita as saying.
Militants attacked the Splendid Hotel and the nearby Cappuccino cafe on Friday evening, setting off several explosions.
As the end of the siege at the Splendid was being announced, reports came in that militants had taken up position at the Yibi hotel, a short distance away.
At least four attackers died in the assaults.
BBC
