Gunmen Attack Radisson Hotel in Mali Capital

Islamist gunmen stormed a luxury hotel packed with foreigners in Mali's capital Bamako on Friday, taking 170 hostages in a former French colony that has been battling rebels allied to al Qaeda for several years, reports Reuters.

170 taken hostages were initially taken. It is believed some  have been released.

UPDATE 1

Government forces have stormed the hotel.

UPDATE 2

French and US forces involved in raid on gunmen.

UPDATE 3

Via Bloomberg:

U.S. and French military forces entered the Radisson Blu Hotel in the Malian capital of Bamako where gunmen took 170 hostages.

The troops with Malian soldiers are moving room to room and taking guests out of the hotel in the city center, a United Nations official said by e-mail from Bamako. About 20 hostages have been freed, the Associated Press reported, citing Modibo Naman Traore, a military commander. At least three people, including two Malians and a French citizen, were killed in the raid, CNN reported.

UPDATE 4

Appears to be a stand-off between terrorists and rescue forces.

UPDATE 5

Forces, including American operatives, at the scene in Bamako. Americans look like special ops to me.

UPDATE 6

Latest reports via the BBC:

The hotel says 138 people remain inside. The gunmen stormed it shooting and shouting "God is great!" in Arabic, eyewitnesses say.

Malian officials said 30 hostages have been freed. State TV earlier put the figure at 80.

Three people have been shot dead and two soldiers wounded, officials say.

UPDATE 7

Via the BBC

A US official said around 25 military personnel were in Bamako at the time of the attack and that some of them are helping "with moving civilians to secured locations, while Malian forces clear the hotel of hostile gunmen".

UPDATE 8

The terrorist organization Al-Mourabitoun has claimed responsibility for the attack. The group is led by the Algerian militant Mokhtar Belmokhtar, who appears to have come right out of central casting.

Belmokhtar lost an eye fighting Algerian troops in the 1990s

UPDATE 9

The US Embassy in Mali has issued this alert:

Ambassade des Etats-Unis au Mali
29 mins ·
SECURITY MESSAGE FROM THE US EMBASSY IN BAMAKO:
The security incident at the Radisson Hotel is ongoing and all U.S. citizens are encouraged to continue sheltering in place. The U.S. Embassy is discouraging any movement around the city unless it is travel to a safer location (i.s. such as your home). Continue monitoring local media for updates and adhere to the instructions of local authorities.

UPDATE 10

We are aware U.S. citizens might be present Radisson Hotel in Bamako, #Mali. @USEmbassyMali working to verify this information #MaliAttacks

— John Kirby (@statedeptspox) November 20, 2015

UPDATE 12

Mali minister says 'gunmen no longer holding hostages'

Mali's Security Minister Salif Traore has told a news conference that the gunmen in the Radisson hotel are no longer holding any hostages.

Mali's presidency has tweeted thanking the security forces and friendly countries for their support in the attacks on the Radisson, the luxury hotel in Bamako.