At least 27 killed in Mali attack, all hostages held by gunmen rescued

At least 27 people were killed in an attack and hostage-taking by Islamist militants at a luxury hotel here on Friday, in which Malian forces stormed the building and rescued more than 100 people, including many foreigners. The 27 people killed in the hostage-taking at the Radisson Blu hotel included three Chinese citizens and one US citizen. China Railway Construction Corporation Limited confirmed Saturday in an online statement that three executives of the company were killed in the attack. Four other Chinese citizens were rescued from the hotel that has 190 rooms and sheltered 140 people of different nationalities, including visitors from France, Belgium, Germany, China, India, Canada, Ivory Coast and Turkey. There were no more hostages held at the hotel, said Mali Security Minister Salif Traore, hours after the Malian special forces carried out a rescue mission. About 170 guests and employees were initially taken hostage, but some of them succeeded in escaping by their own means while the majority of them were rescued by the Malian special forces. It was reported that some people were freed by the attackers after they showed they could recite verses from the Quran. US State Department spokesman John Kirby had said earlier that "a dozen" Americans, including some US embassy staff members, were among those rescued. Twelve Air France flight crew members were in the hotel but all were brought out safely, the French national carrier said. Security sources said Malian forces were in the process of securing the hotel as gunmen were still holding out inside the seven-storey building. Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, who has cut short a trip to a regional summit in Chad, said two attackers were killed. But it remained unknown if the attackers were among the 27 people killed. The Malian government declared a 10-day nationwide state of emergency Friday evening and a three-day mourning for the victims. Barbaric attack The gunmen burst through the hotel security barrier at about 7:00 a.m. (0700 GMT) Friday on a car with diplomatic plates, spraying gunfire and shouting "Allahu Akbar," ("God is great" in Arabic). The attack ended around 4:00 p.m. (1600 GMT). The Jihadist Al-Murabitoun extremist group, which two years ago split from al-Qaida's North Africa branch and is led by former al-Qaida commander Moktar Belmoktar, claimed responsibility in a recorded statement carried by Al-Jazeera. The group based in northern Mali said it wanted fighters freed from Mali's prisons and a halt on attacks against northern Malians. It also said the Murabitounes had attacked in coordination with the "Sahara Emirate" affiliated with al-Qaida. Northern Mali remains insecure and militant attacks have extended farther south this year, including Bamako. In March, masked gunmen shot up a Bamako restaurant popular with foreigners, killing five people. Many in France saw the attack as a new assault on their country's interests a week after the Paris attacks, as Mali was its colony. After the attack, French news websites and all-news TV networks immediately switched from nearly nonstop coverage of investigations into the Paris attacks and their aftermath to the Bamako siege. A unit of French soldiers was sent to Bamako in support of Malian security forces, the French Defense Ministry said. Special police forces also played a supporting role, France's national gendarme service said. France has 3,500 troops operating in Mali and four other countries in the Sahel region as part of a five-nation counter-terrorism operation. The rescue operation by Malian special forces received support from MINUSMA, the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Mali, and US and French troops. The U.N. mission sent security reinforcements and medical aid to the scene, said U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq, adding that a few U.N. staff members were in the hotel but got out safely. International community's outcry U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday condemned the "horrific terrorist attack," noting with concern that the attack took place at a time when the Malian peace process is making good progress. Ban deplored any attempt to derail the implementation of the agreement on peace and reconciliation in Mali. Ban reiterated the U.N.'s commitment to supporting the Malian government's fight against terrorism through MINUSMA and the parties to the peace agreement at "this critical juncture." Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday strongly condemned the attack, expressing his deep condolences to the victims' families. The president has instructed the Chinese side to step up efforts to ensure the safety of Chinese nationals and organizations overseas. "China will improve international cooperation to crack down on terrorist activities that kill innocents and safeguard peace and stability of the world," Xi said. On the same day, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang also extended his sympathies to the victims' families and ordered relevant departments to properly settle the aftermath and take substantial measures to protect overseas Chinese nationals. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Saturday also strongly condemned the deadly terrorist attack, describing it as an "inhuman atrocity." Noting that the three Chinese victims were all engineers sent to Mali to help with Africa's development and improve the well-being of the African people, Wang said, "We are greatly saddened by their tragedies and hereby offer our sincere condolences." "We believe that all African people will also strongly condemn and oppose the brutal crime," he said. Wang, who is accompanying Premier Li in Kuala Lumpur for a series of regional summits, stressed that the Chinese leadership "pays high attention to the incident and has instructed us to do whatever is necessary." The Chinese embassy in Mali, he added, will do its utmost in addressing relevant matters. The United States on Friday condemned the attack "in the strongest terms," saying the United States "stands with the people of Mali" and is "prepared to assist the Malian government in the coming days as it investigates this tragic terrorist attack." Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Mali continues to urge all US citizens there to minimize movements around Bamako, though "we can confirm that the attack has ended." British Prime Minister David Cameron offered his condolences to the victims of the attack. The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has changed its advice on travel in Mali, urging British nationals to "remain indoors and follow instructions of local authorities." "Further attacks are highly likely in northern Mali, though the threat exists throughout the country. Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreigners," it warned.