Militants Attack Hotel In Mali, Hostages Freed

China Railway Construction Corporation Limited confirmed Saturday in an online statement that three executives of the company were killed in the attack.

Gunmen stormed a hotel packed with foreigners in the former French colony of Mali on Friday, killing several people and taking dozens of guests and workers hostage, NBC News reported.

Malian national television reported that no more hostages were being held at a luxury hotel after a day-long siege by Islamic militants.

Mali President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita declared a national state of emergency in Mali on Friday.

While no group has claimed to be behind the attack, it comes just days after the Iyad Ag Ghaly, the leader of the al Qaeda linked militant group Ansar Dine, called for attacks on France and its interests in Mali. “In response to the request from the Malian authorities, Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian chose to send a unit of French special forces”, the ministry said, adding they had come in from Burkina Faso. “We commend the bravery of the Malian, French, United Nations, and USA security personnel who responded to the situation and prevented even worse loss of life”.

His French counterpart Francois Hollande said: “We should yet again stand firm and show our solidarity with a friendly country, Mali”. Turkish Airlines said that six of its crew members are part of the hostage hold-up.

The NY Times newspaper and the Reuters news agency report that 27 people were killed in the attack.

Automatic weapons fire was heard outside the 190-room hotel in the city centre, with the ministry spokesman saying at least three hostages had been killed.

“I think this attack has been perpetrated by negative forces, terrorists, who do not want to see peace in Mali”, Hamdi said.

At least 170 hostages were believed to have been taken, though a few 20 were freed later in the morning and others managed to escape with the help of security forces.

“It’s all happening on the seventh floor, jihadists are firing in the corridor”, one unnamed source told AFP early in the attack.