Image copyright AFP According to the latest reports, the 80 hostages freed from trapped at the Radisson Blu in Bamako, Mali. Armed men attacked the hotel, taking 170 people hostage. At least three of the hostages have been killed. Special Forces of Mali holds the assault captured the attackers away.
The French authorities have also sent in Mali elite special forces of the National Gendarmerie.
Photo fighters counterterrorism unit GIGN, traveling to Bamako, published in the official “Twitter” gendarmerie .
The group intervention of the National Gendarmerie (GIGN) was created in 1973. It has a total of about 380 people and is considered one of the most effective anti-terrorist units in the world.
Developments
The armed men on Friday attacked the hotel, took hostage 170 people.
“According to our information, two people locked [in] 140 guests and 30 staff,” – said in a statement, The Rezidor Hotel Group, which owns the hotel Radisson Blu.
It was later learned that the two hostages were released on freedom, because they were Muslims and were able to demand the militants read the Quran.
According to the latest reports, about 80 hostages released, the previously reported 20 released.
Agence France-Presse reported, citing the Ministry of Security of Mali on the deaths of at least three hostages.
Details of the attack
According to some reports, the attack is carried out 10 people. According to eyewitnesses, the attackers shouted in Arabic “Allah is great”.
“They came when I was sweeping the yard. They were in a car with diplomatic plates. Their faces were masks. At the gates of the hotel stopped them guard and they started to shoot. And we ran, “- said the witness, who works as a gardener at the hotel.
” I do not know how much [the attackers]. There were between five and 13. They wounded three guards at the gate of the hotel. These guards – they are from the security firm, they are not soldiers, “- said another witness.
Based in Qatar television station Al-Jazeera identified the attackers hotel as a militant group “Ansar al-Din “(” Front of defenders of the faith “). The correspondent of Al-Jazeera described the “Ansar al-Din” as “extremist military group that is trying to establish the rule of Sharia in Mali”.
The Radisson Blu 190 rooms. It is known that the property owned by Americans, and it is very popular among foreigners working in Mali.
The Russian embassy in Mali said that the information about the Russians in the seized property is not supported.
The Embassy US Bamako wrote on his page on “Twitter” what they know about the shooting in the Radisson Blu. US citizens advised to find shelter inside the building of the hotel and, if possible, contact with relatives.
“Everything is on the seventh floor, the jihadists are shooting in the hallway,” – said a police spokesman Mali AFP news agency.
Resident away from China told Xinhua via mobile applications that apart from him in the hands of armed men were even a few Chinese.
The Turkish authorities have reported that the hostages are a few airline employees Turkish Airlines. Later it was reported that three of the seven employees Turkish Airlines managed to escape.
There is no information whether they were freed by special forces or fled themselves.
It is also reported that the hostages have several employees Airlines Air France.
The attacks in Mali
In August, there was an attack on a hotel in the Malian city Sévaré. As a result, killing four soldiers, five UN staff and four attackers.
In January 2013, militants “Al-Qaeda” captured the city Diabali in central Mali and threatened to march on the capital Bamako.
Then the government of Mali appealed to the international community for military aid, and the UN Security Council approved a French military operation in the African country.
French Air Force air strikes helped Mali army in the fight against the Islamists. Many experts believe that France will take advantage of the situation to expand and strengthen its presence in Mali – in its former colony. However, in July 2013. control over security in the country passed into the hands of the special forces of the UN.
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