Police confirms 17 people were killed. The terrorists were still inside the building after security forces stormed the building. The remaining hostages have been freed. Gunmen took the hotel shooting, and shouting "Allah is great!" in Arabic.
Image from the hotel in Bamako.
Gunmen launched an attack on the Radisson Blu Hotel in the centre of Mali's capital, Bamako. According to government sources, 17 people have been killed after Malian special forces stormed the building.
Two people locked in 140 guests and 30 employees in "a hostage-taking situation", the hotel's owners said in a statement when the crisis started. The gunmen entered shooting, and shouting "God is great!" in Arabic, a security source told Reuters.
After hours of tensions, Malian special forces entered the hotel later but could not free all of the hostages. Later, after several died during the operation, they informed there were no hostages left inside of the building.
A HOTEL WITH MANY FOREIGNERS
The hotel, owned by a US citizen, is popular with foreigners working in Mali. The security sources told Reuters that some hostages, including those able to recite verses of the Quran, are being freed.
Among the hostages were French, Chinese, Tuekrish, Indian and North American citizens. Many of them were part of airline crews. The richest man in Africa, Aliko Dangote, is also thought to be in the hotel.
French, US and UN forces are supporting Mali forces on site.
CONTEXT
France, the former colonial power in Mali, intervened in the country in January 2013 when al-Qaeda-linked militants threatened to march on Bamako after taking control of the north of the country.
Al Qaeda of the Islamic Magreb is the strongest terrorist group in the region. Boko Haram and Daesh have not attacked the country previously.
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