At least 12 people have been declared dead, after gunmen stormed a popular Ivory Coast beach resort earlier today. Four of the victims were Europeans, according to Reuters, which cited police source.

The gunfire reportedly occurred near a hotel in Grand-Bassam and several people were wounded, diplomatic sources told Reuters.

The attackers, who were "heavily armed and wearing balaclavas, fired at guests at the L'Etoile du Sud, a large hotel which was full of expats in the current heatwave," a witness told AFP.

"I saw seven dead that I filmed. There were four attackers. I was swimming when it started and I ran away," said Dramane Kima, who showed video of the carnage to Reuters. He also took pictures of grenades and ammunition clips he believed were left behind by the gunmen.

A receptionist at the L'Etoile du Sud hotel said the attacks happened on the beach.

"We don't know where they came from, and we don't know where they've gone," he said of the gunmen.

Security forces claimed to have neutralize six armed men after the attacks on three hotels.

"We don't know yet if there are others," an officer told security forces during a briefing also attended by a Reuters reporter. "We are doing clean-up operations right now." - See more at: http://www.duketundesblog.com/2016/03/terrorism-gunmen-kills-12-at-ivory.html#sthash.HiIYAJD7.dpuf