The trial of 18 people accused of responsibility for the deadly 2016 attack on a beach resort in Grand Bassam, Ivory Coast, opened on Wednesday in the country's main city, Abidjan.
The attack was the first of its kind in Ivory Coast and confirmed fears of Islamists' growing reach in West Africa at the time. Gunmen from al Qaeda's North African branch killed 19 people and wounded 33 when they opened fire on the beach.
The defendants face charges of terrorism, assassination, attempted assassination, harbouring of criminals, and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, according to a statement by public prosecutor Richard Adou.
