Two Canadians among 18 people killed in Burkina Faso: Freeland

Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland says two Canadians were among 18 people killed in a suspected extremist attack on a popular restaurant in Burkina Faso.

The incident happened late Sunday when suspected Islamic extremists opened fire at a Turkish restaurant in the country's capital.

Freeland says "the heartfelt condolences of our government go out to the loved ones of those targeted and the victims of this tragic attack."

She says Canadian consular officials are working hard to provide assistance to the families of the victims.

Local authorities say other foreigners killed include two Kuwaitis and one person each from France, Senegal, Nigeria, Lebanon and Turkey.

Seven Burkina Faso citizens were also killed and authorities said three other victims had not yet been identified.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the violence, which continued into the early hours Monday.

The attack brought back painful memories of the January 2016 attack at another cafe that left 30 people dead.

Burkina Faso, a landlocked nation in West Africa, is one of the poorest countries in the world. It shares a northern border with Mali, which has long battled Islamic extremists.