Where the heck is Burkina Faso and why would anyone care what the heck goes on there? Burkina Faso is a small West African country that has found itself on the international radar with the attack that occurred last night when jihadi militants attacked a hotel popular with United Nations (UN) employees and Western travelers. It is a landlocked former French colony where the French maintain a military presence, and where the U.S. has a drone base in the capital, Ouagadougou, where the attack took place.

According to Jihad Watch the attack began at 7:30 p.m. local time when two car bombs parked outside the Splendid Hotel detonated. Following those explosions, three to four masked gunmen stormed the hotel shooting at least 20 according to initial reports. The country’s culture minister commented for an article on the attack in the New York times last night:

“Tahirou Barry, the culture minister, said in a telephone interview that the security forces had surrounded the hotel, and that witnesses said that four to six attackers were inside with hostages.

“There is a perimeter of at least 500 meters around it; no one can approach,” he said. “They are trying to help the hostages.”

“Once in a while we can hear shooting,” Mr. Barry added. “For the moment, we have no more details on the identity of the shooters, except for the fact that one witness affirmed that one of the assailants proclaimed the name of God — the name of Allah.”

Per reports from French ambassador Gilles Thibault reported  via Agence France Presse, the militants entered the hotel via the café next door and proceeded to take an unknown number of hostages. Speculation is that al Qaeda  is behind the attack, but more information will come as we enter the weekend.

It is not clear whether or not French or American forces aided in the security response that occurred after the attack, but Mr. Barry did confirm that the nation would not be able to respond adequately without help from “our friends from abroad.”

This is the second attack with this M.O. in the past two months in the region. Al Qaeda affiliate AQIM was responsible for a November attack on the Radisson Blu hotel in Mali’s capital, Bamako.

One more time, in the name of Allah, the “religion of peace” has spilled innocent blood and terrorized innocents. Our thoughts and prayers are with the remaining hostages, and with their families as they await news of their loved ones safety.

UPDATE: An American missionary, Mike Riddering, is confirmed to be one of at least 28 people who were killed in the attack on the Splendid Hotel in Burkina Faso’s capital Friday night. His wife, Amy, has confirmed news of his death and stated “Heaven has gained a warrior.” Both were in the country working in an orphanage in a village an hour a way from the capital.

On the upside, 126 hostages were freed when a coalition of troops from at least 18 countries executed an incredible counter attack on the militants killing two of the three attackers at the hotel. One stunning development-two of the attackers were female. Kinda makes you wonder about Obama’s snarky comments about Americans being “Afraid of women and orphans”. Well, Mr. President the ladies involved with the jihad movement, like Tafshin Malik of the San Bernardino attack,  seem to be just as lethal as their men. Does that scare me? Hell yes, and the possibility of an attack like this happening on our shores scares should scare you too.