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| Mali hotel siege: Gunmen take hostages in deadly raid | Mali hotel siege: Gunmen take hostages in deadly raid |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Gunmen in Mali have killed at least five people in an attack on a hotel in the central town of Sevare, officials say. The dead include Malian soldiers. | |
| The UN mission in the country said it believed "a member of the international personnel" was killed in the attack. | The UN mission in the country said it believed "a member of the international personnel" was killed in the attack. |
| An unknown number of hostages are still being held at the Byblos Hotel, which is popular with UN workers. Two of the gunmen have also been killed. | An unknown number of hostages are still being held at the Byblos Hotel, which is popular with UN workers. Two of the gunmen have also been killed. |
| Mali has been fighting Islamist rebels in the north for a number of years. | Mali has been fighting Islamist rebels in the north for a number of years. |
| A spokesman for the Russian embassy in Mali said one of those being held was a Russian citizen. Earlier, officials in Kiev said a Ukrainian citizen was also believed to have been captured. | A spokesman for the Russian embassy in Mali said one of those being held was a Russian citizen. Earlier, officials in Kiev said a Ukrainian citizen was also believed to have been captured. |
| Army spokesman Lt Col Diarran Kone told Associated Press that the operation to free hostages was ongoing. | Army spokesman Lt Col Diarran Kone told Associated Press that the operation to free hostages was ongoing. |
| In a statement, the UN mission in Mali (Minusma) condemned the "despicable attack in the strongest terms". | In a statement, the UN mission in Mali (Minusma) condemned the "despicable attack in the strongest terms". |
| The mission said "shots continue to be fired sporadically at the hotel and in its vicinity". | The mission said "shots continue to be fired sporadically at the hotel and in its vicinity". |
| The BBC's Alex Duval Smith in Mali says the town, which is about 600km (370 miles) north-east of the capital, Bamako, is a trading hub that serves the historic riverside city of Mopti. | The BBC's Alex Duval Smith in Mali says the town, which is about 600km (370 miles) north-east of the capital, Bamako, is a trading hub that serves the historic riverside city of Mopti. |
| A local resident told the BBC that it was the first time the city has been hit by an attack like this. | A local resident told the BBC that it was the first time the city has been hit by an attack like this. |
| "Since the beginning of the fighting in Mali, we haven't experienced such a situation in Sevare. | "Since the beginning of the fighting in Mali, we haven't experienced such a situation in Sevare. |
| "We would expect these things to happen in Gao or Timbuktu, but this the first time it has happened in Sevare," he said. | "We would expect these things to happen in Gao or Timbuktu, but this the first time it has happened in Sevare," he said. |
| Al-Qaeda-linked militants have been fighting the army in northern Mali. | Al-Qaeda-linked militants have been fighting the army in northern Mali. |
| France, the former colonial power in Mali, intervened in January 2013 to stop their advance south to the capital. | France, the former colonial power in Mali, intervened in January 2013 to stop their advance south to the capital. |
| Militancy in Mali | Militancy in Mali |