Bamako, Nov 20: Unidentified Gunmen went on a shooting rampage at the luxury Radisson Blu hotel in Mali’s capital Bamako on Friday seizing 170 guests and staff in an ongoing hostage-taking that has left at least three people dead.
Malian security forces are storming the hotel and at least a dozen hostages have been freed after the attack by “two or three” assailants.
Security sources said the gunmen were jihadists who had entered the hotel compound at around 0700 GMT (12:30 IST) in a car that had diplomatic plates. Many of the guests were in their rooms when the attack began.
Automatic weapons fire was heard outside the 190-room hotel in the city centre, with the ministry spokesman saying at least three hostages had been killed.
Chinese state news agency Xinhua said at least seven Chinese nationals were among the hostages, while Turkish Airlines said six of its staff were caught up in the attack.
Malian soldiers, police and special forces were on the scene as a security perimeter was set up, along with members of the UN’s MINUSMA peacekeeping force in Mali and the French troops fighting jihadists in west Africa under Operation Barkhane.
The US embassy in Mali advised any American citizens in the country to shelter where they were, contact their families and monitor local media. Few Indians are also stated to be in the hotel but were safe.
