A 190-room luxury Radisson hotel in Bamako, Mali, West Africa, is under attack from jihadists. Shooting and blasts are heard, and a hostage situation is under way, and state TV says that 80 of the 170 hostages have been freed.https://www.rt.com/news/322797-jihadists-attack-bamako-hotel/RTL France is quoting Carlson Rezidor Group, the company owning the hotel, as saying that two people are holding 140 visitors and 30 hotel employees hostage.
However, a senior security source put the number of gunmen in the hotel at 10, Reuters reported.
At least three people have been reported dead, two of them Malian, and one French, according to local media.
Among the hostages are US, French and Chinese citizens, according to media reports. Some reports suggest they include French military, Air France employees and Thales [major electronic systems company working in defense and aerospace] personnel.
A Chinese guest at the hotel told China's Xinhua news agency via a mobile app that he was one of the hostages, the BBC reported.
Six Turkish nationals are also inside the Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako.
"There are six Turkish Airlines personnel in the hotel," Reuters cited a Turkish official as saying.
Gunmen have reportedly let some hostages go, including those able to recite verses of the Koran, security sources told Reuters.
Topic: Gunfire, explosions, hostage situation as jihadists attack luxury Radisson hotel (Read 488 times)