Killed at Hotel in Mali

Israel’s Ynet news website named him as Shmuel Ben Hillel, but gave no further details.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei announced Friday four other Chinese citizens were rescued from Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako.

Lt. Col. Diarran Kone told The Associated Press that the deaths were confirmed after gunmen stormed the Radisson Blu hotel Friday morning.

The jihadist group Al Mourabitoun, allied to al Qaeda and based in the desert north of the former French colony, claimed responsibility for the attack.

In August, suspected Islamist gunmen killed 13 people, including five United Nations workers, during a hostage siege at a hotel in the central Malian town of Sevare.

A statement, the global Relations and Co-operation Department said: “The South African government strongly condemns the use of force, violence, intimidation, or threats to address socio-political issues or towards the resolution of political disagreements”. “These were innocent people who had everything to live for”.

At least 27 people were killed on Friday after Malian forces staged a rescue mission to free hostages held by gunmen at the hotel in Bamako. Earlier China vowed justice after ISIS militants executed Chinese hostage Fan Jinghui along with a Norwegian national two days ago.

A police source said Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita was expected to visit the site of the attack on Saturday.

Beijing has repeatedly denounced Islamist militants and urged the world to step up coordination in combating Islamic State, though it has been reluctant to get involved on the ground in Syria and Iraq where the group largely operates. “These terrorists are a global threat that we need to attack globally”, said politician Amadou Thiam, a vice president of Mali’s parliament.

About 170 guests and employees were initially taken hostage, but a few apparently escaped or hid in the sprawling, cream-and-pink hotel that has 190 rooms and a spa, outdoor pool and ballroom.

About 1,000 USA special forces are deployed across Africa at any given time but there was no indication that US military personnel were in combat with the hostage-takers.

The attack began about 7 a.m., when two or three attackers carrying AK-47 rifles got off at least one vehicle with diplomatic plates and entered the hotel while firing their guns.