WASHINGTON, DC— Representative Eliot L. Engel, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, today released the following statement regarding the ongoing hostage situation at the Radisson Blu hotel in Mali:

“Today’s siege in Bamako is a disgrace.  My heart goes out to the family, friends, and loved ones of those injured, killed, or still held hostage.  Like the attacks earlier this week in Yola and Kano, Nigeria, and those in Paris last week, the terrorist attack on the Radisson Blu reminds us that violent extremism is a global threat.  While we’ve come a long way since the dark days of 2012, when most of Mali’s northern regions were overtaken by extremist organizations, today’s attack shows us how much work remains to dismantle extremist groups seeking to export their violent ideologies and kill innocent civilians.”

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