Burkina Faso Attack in hotel siege.

Burkina Faso attack: Dozens freed, 23 killed in hotel siege.

Attackers raided a luxury hotel in Burkina Faso overnight, opening fire and seizing hostages in an hourslong siege that left 23 people dead.

An al Qaeda-linked terror group claimed responsibility for the assault at Splendid Hotel — a popular meeting place for Western diplomats in the capital of Ouagadougou.

The attack started Friday night, and dragged on under the cover of darkness. Security forces circled the perimeter to assess the situation before they stormed in hours later.

“Everyone was panicked and was laying down on the floor. There was blood everywhere, they were shooting at people at point blank,” survivor Yannick Sawadogo said.

Security forces entered the besieged hotel early Saturday and freed 126 hostages, half of whom were hospitalized, said Alpha Barry, the nation’s foreign minister.