Armed jihadists have gone on a deadly shooting rampage and taken 170 hostages at the Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako, Mali.
Automatic weapons fire has been heard on the seventh floor of the 190-room hotel, where it is thought as many as 10 militants have taken 140 guests and 30 members of staff hostage.
Witnesses described hearing at least one explosion and shouts of ‘Allahu Akbar’ during the hotel attack, which is frequently used by Air France crew in Mali.
No group have claimed responsibility for the attack but Al Qaeda affiliated militants have previously carried out attacks in the Sahel based country.
Some hostages have been freed from the hotel after they proved to they could recite verses from the Koran.
‘It’s all happening on the seventh floor, jihadists are firing in the corridor,’ a security source said.
The Rezidor Hotel Group confirmed it is ‘aware of the hostage-taking that is ongoing at the property today.’
As per our information, two persons have locked in 140 guests and 30 employees,’ the statement said.
‘Our safety and security teams and our corporate team are in constant contact with the local authorities in order to offer any support possible to re-instate safety and security at the hotel,’ it added.
The US embassy in Bamako has urged embassy staff to seek cover from the attack, tweeting that all Americans in Mali should ‘shelter in place’.
Read more
