Breaking: Gunmen Open Fire on Popular Ivory Coast Resort

Gunmen reportedly entered a popular beach resort in Grand Bassam on the Ivory Coast on Sunday and opened fire. The number of casualties is unclear.

A witness told AFP that assailants, who were "heavily armed and wearing balaclavas", opened fire on guests at L'Etoile du Sud, a large hotel popular with expats.

VICE News has been unable to independently verify the reports.

BREAKING: — Jean-Marc Mojon (@mojobaghdad)March 13, 2016

Reuters news agency reported that diplomatic sources confirmed an attack was underway.  The gunmen were not identified and it was unclear if they were affiliated with any militant group. Social media accounts showed scenes of people fleeing, and at least one dead person on what appeared to be a beach.

PHOTOS: Army evacuating the beach in Grand Bassam following the shooting in — Conflict News (@Conflicts)March 13, 2016

— R.E.A.L Human Rights (@realhumanrights)March 13, 2016

Some of the weapons found in Grand — Michael Horowitz (@michaelh992)March 13, 2016

France warned The Ivory Coast and Senegal that militants were planning to attack cities in West African countries, people familiar with intelligence reports told Bloomberg in January. French officials said fighters were considering car bombs, and attacking areas that are popular with foreigners such as beach resorts. The sources who gave this information to Bloomberg asked to remain anonymous.

Last November, militants from al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb attacked a hotel popular with foreigners in Mali's capital, taking 170 hostage and killing 20. In January, 29 people of 18 different nationalities were killed in an attack on a hotel in Burkina Faso's capital by al Qaeda linked militants.

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