Mali’s Special forces storm hotel after gunmen take 170 hostage

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at http://ift.tt/jcXqJW.

Friday 20 Nov 2015 - 16:32 Makkah mean time-8-2-1437 (Image from BBC) Bamako, (IINA) - Mali’s Special forces have stormed a five-star hotel in the capital Bamako after gunmen stormed it and took 170 people hostage. Mali's state broadcaster reported that 80 of the hostages have been released with commandos going floor to floor inside the Radisson Blu Hotel. "The attackers are still inside. We're hearing gunfire from time to time," a witness outside the Radisson told the Reuters news agency. Gunman shouting "Allahu Akbar" earlier on Friday opened fire outside the luxury hotel in the center of the capital before storming it. At least two gunmen stormed the hotel on Friday and held 140 occupants and 30 staff members as hostages, New York Times reported citing the company that runs the hotel. Northern Mali fell under the control of extremist militants in 2012, but a French-led offensive ousted them in 2013, although remnants of the group have staged a number of attacks on UN peacekeepers and Malian forces. French and American people were among those taken hostage in the hotel, which is known as a favorite place for foreigners in the city. Kamissoko Lassine, the chief pastry chef of the hotel, said that two armed men arrived at the hotel between 7 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. “They were driving a vehicle with diplomatic plates”, he said. “You know how easy that is at the hotel? The guardians just lifted the barrier”. “They opened fire and wounded the guard at the front,” said Lassine, who said he was able to slip out through a back door and made it home safely. “They took the hotel hostage and moved people into a big hall”. According to BBC, the US Embassy in Bamako has tweeted that it "is aware of an ongoing active shooter operation at the Radisson Hotel". All US citizens were asked "to shelter in place" and "encouraged to contact their families". AG/IINA