Mali hotel targeted in 'horrific terrorist attack'

Hostages had to be evacuated by special forces after gunmen stormed a hotel in Mali on Friday Credit: RTV

A hotel in Mali's capital city was targeted by gunmen on Friday in an attack which killed at least 27 people and saw 140 guests and 30 members of staff held hostage for several hours.

Gunmen took control of the Radisson Blu hotel in the capital city of Bamako by throwing grenades and seizing hostages after arriving at the hotel in a car that was said to have has diplomatic number plates around 7am local time.

The siege continued until around 4.30pm when special forces who had stormed the building confirmed they had managed to evacuate all remaining hostages.

According to UN sources at least 27 bodies were found at the hotel after it was evacuated.

Security officials stormed the building where gunmen were holding hostages Credit: AP Photo/Harouna Traore
170 people were held hostage in the siege Credit: AP Photo/Harouna Traore
The Radisson Blu in Mali's Bamako came under terrorist attack on Friday Credit: Google earth

Watch security officials evacuate hostages here:

The organisers of the siege, which UN secretary-general Ban ki-moon described as a "horrific terrorist attack", have not yet been officially identified but witnesses have said that ten attackers stormed the building shouting "Allahu Akbar" - which means "God is great".

An African Jihadist group affiliated with al Qaeda claimed responsibility for the attack on Friday afternoon, with a separate Islamist militant group al Mourabitoun also claiming joint responsibility some hours later.

UN sources have confirmed that at least two militants had been killed in the siege but said security forces were still trying to 'dislodge' gunmen who were holed up on the hotels seventh floor on Friday evening.