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Africa North
Gunmen take 170 hostages in Radisson Blu hotel in Mali capital
2015-11-20
[Dawn] BAMAKO: Two gunmen have taken 170 people hostage in the luxury Radisson Blu hotel in the Mali capital Bamako on Friday, the group that runs the hotel said.

The hotel chain in a statement said two people had "locked in" 140 guests and 30 employees in an ongoing hostage-taking at the hotel.

"The Rezidor Hotel Group... is aware of the hostage-taking that is ongoing at the property today, Nov 20, 2015. As per our information two persons have locked in 140 guests and 30 employees," the company said.

"Our safety and security teams and our corporate team are in constant contact with the local authorities in order to offer any support possible to re-instate safety and security at the hotel," it added.

Gunmen shooting and shouting "God is great" burst into the hotel, a senior Malian security source said. The source said at least two private security guards had been injured.

Security sources said the gunmen have freed some hostages including those able to recite verses of the Holy Quran.

The raid targeted the Radisson Blu hotel, located just west of the city centre in a neighbourhood that is home to government ministries and diplomats, they said.
The Blu is located approx a kilometer from the US Embassy.
Posted by:Besoeker

#15  I'll lay odds that it'll happen before the end of next this year.
Pappy, your much more optimistic than I...
Posted by: 49 Pan   2015-11-20 22:21  

#14  Isn't Mali kind of a French friend or old protectorate?

Yes. And French troops have been active for the past year or two driving Al Qaeda-linked jihadis and other troublemakers from Mali's northern cities.

However, Al Ahram reports the jihadis were speaking to one another in English rather than French, which is the official language of Mali, or one of the many other recognized or unrecognized languages of the country.
Posted by: trailing wife   2015-11-20 20:36  

#13  Isn't Mali kind of a French friend or old protectorate? Could be a continuing attack against all things French.
Posted by: BrerRabbit   2015-11-20 19:18  

#12  No reason it can't be both Steve.
Posted by: DarthVader   2015-11-20 17:59  

#11  Jeez, Louise. It really is hard to tell stupidity from malice.
Posted by: SteveS   2015-11-20 17:56  

#10  SHOCKING SECURITY BLUNDER: Obama Admin Tells Mali Hotel Terrorists Americans Likely in Hotel

morons
Posted by: Blossom Unains5562   2015-11-20 17:31  

#9  I'll lay odds that it'll happen before the end of next year.
Posted by: Pappy   2015-11-20 16:18  

#8  How much longer before this is run in a blue city in the US with extreme gun control laws?
Posted by: DarthVader   2015-11-20 12:43  

#7  ...neither was Saddam's 'elite' republican guard elite. At least in the military sense, but probably of the politically reliable, much like our own ruling caste 'elites'.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2015-11-20 12:41  

#6  When you want the very best,
France on Friday afternoon said it dispatched to Mali an elite paramilitary group trained in hostage rescue and counterterrorism operations.

U.S. special operations forces also are helping "move civilians to secured locations as Malian forces clear the hotel of hostile gunmen," said Lt. Cmdr. Anthony Falvo, a spokesman for U.S. Africa Command.

because the Mali Special Forces aren't...special.
Posted by: Skidmark   2015-11-20 12:00  

#5  but Islam has nothing to do with Terrorism
Posted by: Frank G   2015-11-20 12:00  

#4  CNN has updates. As of 8:32 a.m. ET French gendermerie and American Special Forces had arrived to support Malian forces, 80 people had been released and 3 were dead.
Posted by: trailing wife   2015-11-20 09:25  

#3  they did NOT shout *god is great*, either

they shouted *allahu akhbar*

allah cannot be translated simply as *god* because allah is god of the muslims only
Posted by: anon1   2015-11-20 08:57  

#2  not those militant Amish again

whatever are we to do about their extremism

clearly the US is to blame for invading iraq....
Posted by: anon1   2015-11-20 08:56  

#1  Bammy will rush a crack (smoking?) State Department negotiating team to the Maldives...
Posted by: M. Murcek   2015-11-20 08:29  

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