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Mali hotel attacked by gunmen in Bamako Mali hotel attack: '170 hostages seized' in Bamako
(35 minutes later)
Gunmen have launched an attack on the Radisson Blu Hotel in the centre of Mali's capital, Bamako.Gunmen have launched an attack on the Radisson Blu Hotel in the centre of Mali's capital, Bamako.
"Apparently it's an attempt to take hostages. The police are there and are sealing off the area," a security source told Reuters news agency. Two people have locked in 140 guests and 30 employees in "a hostage-taking situation", the hotel's owners said in a statement.
Automatic weapon fire could be heard from outside the 190-room hotel, AFP reports. Police have surrounded the hotel, which the gunmen entered shooting, and shouting "God is great!" in Arabic, a security source told Reuters.
BBC Afrique's Abdourahmane Dia says the US-owned hotel is popular with expats working in Mali. A BBC reporter says the US-owned hotel is popular with expats working in Mali.
A Chinese guest told China's state news agency Xinhua via a mobile app that he was among a number of Chinese guests trapped there.
In August, suspected Islamist gunmen killed 13 people, including five UN workers, during a hostage siege at a hotel in the central Malian town of Sevare.In August, suspected Islamist gunmen killed 13 people, including five UN workers, during a hostage siege at a hotel in the central Malian town of Sevare.
France, the former colonial power in Mali, intervened in the country after al-Qaeda-linked militants threatened to march on Bamako in January 2013 after taking control of the north of the country. 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.
The US embassy in Bamako has tweeted that it "is aware of an ongoing active shooter operation at the Radisson Hotel".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".All US citizens were asked "to shelter in place" and "encouraged to contact their families".
"It's all happening on the seventh floor, jihadists are firing in the corridor," a security source told AFP."It's all happening on the seventh floor, jihadists are firing in the corridor," a security source told AFP.
Witnesses say the police have surrounded the hotel and are blocking roads leading into the neighbourhood. Some reports say about 10 gunmen in total are involved in the attack.
The Rezidor Hotel Group, which owns the Radisson Blu, said it was aware of "the hostage-taking that is ongoing at the property today". The Rezidor Hotel Group, which owns the Radisson Blu, said it was in constant contact "with the local authorities in order offer any support possible to re-instate safety and security at the hotel".
"As per our information two persons have locked in 140 guests and 30 employees," AFP quotes its statement as saying. The UN force in Mali took over responsibility for security in the country from French and African troops in July 2013, after the main towns in the north had been recaptured from the Islamist militants.
The UN force in Mali took over responsibility for security in the country from French troops in July 2013. Militancy in Mali:
Militancy in Mali