A Lebanese national was killed and five others wounded when extremists attacked tourists on a beach at a resort town in Ivory Coast Sunday, a statement by Lebanon's Foreign Ministry said. The statement identified the dead as Toufic Hayek, 54, who hailed from the southern town of Nabatieh. It said he was shot dead while swimming in the resort. At least six armed men attacked beachgoers outside three hotels in Grand Bassam, killing at least 14 civilians and two special forces soldiers, according to Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara. The six assailants were also killed. Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb claimed responsibility for the attack, according to SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors militant websites. An earlier statement by the Foreign Ministry said five Lebanese were also wounded in the assault. It named them as Hasan Murtada, Mohammad Murtada, Najiba Sabra and her two children. The ministry said that Hasan Muratada suffered serious wounds but that the doctor treating him had said that his condition was stable. It said the five were rushed to the Lebanese hospital in Abidjan and were treated by Lebanese doctors. The ministry added that Lebanon's charge d'affaires in the country, Wissam Kalakesh, had checked on the wounded Lebanese at the hospital. Around 80,000 Lebanese work in Ivory Coast, many of them prominent businessmen.
