Armed assailants attacked several targets in Burkina Faso's capital on Friday, including the army headquarters and the French embassy, in a coordinated assault that France's ambassador to the West African region called a terrorist attack.
It was the third major attack in Ouagadougou in just over two years.
Burkina Faso is part of a regional alliance, the G5 Sahel force, to fight jihadis.
French special forces were part of the defense of the French embassy.
Why would al Qaeda attack Burkina Faso, you might ask?
Obviously, as anyone with proper sensibilities would understand when the "why do they hate us?" question is raised, Burkina Faso provoked the bloody rage by invading Iraq.
What other explanation could there possibly be?
Surely you remember the thrilling actions of the 2nd Burkinabe Tank Brigade as it crossed the Euphrates River to guard the flank of the Marine drive north?
No? That didn't happen? Well surely they did something to earn the hate.
