Mali Hostage Situation: Six Americans Among the Rescued as Hostage Situation Ends
By EMILY KNAPP ANTHONY CASTELLANO EMILY SHAPIRO
Nov 20, 2015, 12:12 PM ET
A U.S. defense official said a hostage situation has ended after gunmen took 170 people, including U.S. citizens, hostage today at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Mali in West Africa.
The Radisson Blu Hotel had said 138 hostages remained inside -- 125 guests and 13 employees -- hours after gunmen stormed the building in the capital city of Bamako.
At least two people are dead, according to a United Nations spokesman.
A Belgian member of Parliament Geoffrey Dieudonné was among those killed, Belgium’s regional Parliament said. Dieudonné was training officials from Mali’s Parliament. The Parliament said the precise circumstances of his death are not yet known.
There were 22 Defense Department personnel, including military and civilians, in Bamako at the time of the incident, and they were all accounted for, according to a defense official.
Six U.S. citizens were rescued from the hotel, according to the U.S. Africa Command.
There was no U.S. involvement in the rescue assault aside from one military personnel member who was assisting hostages to a secure area, a defense official said.
French President François Hollande, speaking in preparation of a climate conference, said earlier that, "The counter-assault has started. Tourists and companies executive from various nationalities are being held hostages."
"I would like to ask all French nationals currently in sensitive countries to take all the necessary precautions," he said.
Hollande added, "France is available to give the special forces the help they need."
Olivier Salgado, of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Mali, said, "three people stormed the hotel with AK47s around 7a.m." and "security forces from Mali were deployed around the hotel" immediately.
Freelance journalist Katarina Hoije, who was at the scene, told ABC News that, "this is a hotel popular with Westerners and also many agencies working here, among them the U.N. peacekeeping mission who has staff staying at the hotel regularly."
The hotel said in a statement, "Our highest concern is the safety of all our guests and employees in the hotel. We are in constant contact with the authorities there and will share further information with you when we have it."
Radisson Blu receptionist Tambacouye Diarra told ABC News that he was at the reception desk surrounded by special forces. He said the gunmen were also surrounded by special forces in the hotel.
A gunman shot in his direction approximately 10 times, Diarra said. He said a gunman ran after him, but he was able to escape. Diarra said he saw people getting shot and some injured people being evacuated out of the hotel.
Among those in the hotel were three UN personnel, who are now safe, according to Salgado, and Air France and Turkish Airlines crew members, who are also safe, according to the airlines.
The president of Mali tweeted that he is in Chad but will be returning to Bamako in the next couple hours.
National Security Adviser Susan Rice briefed President Obama on the unfolding situation. He has directed his team to keep him apprised of developments.
France, the former colonial power in Mali, launched airstrikes in Mali two years ago to prevent the establishment of a terrorist state after armed groups linked to al Qaeda took over vast stretches of Mali. French involvement in Mali eventually morphed into a larger operation that involved ground troops and French special forces. At its height, 4,000 French soldiers were largely successful in helping Mali push the al Qaeda-linked rebels out of the country.
Nov 20, 2015, 12:12 PM ET
A U.S. defense official said a hostage situation has ended after gunmen took 170 people, including U.S. citizens, hostage today at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Mali in West Africa.
The Radisson Blu Hotel had said 138 hostages remained inside -- 125 guests and 13 employees -- hours after gunmen stormed the building in the capital city of Bamako.
At least two people are dead, according to a United Nations spokesman.
A Belgian member of Parliament Geoffrey Dieudonné was among those killed, Belgium’s regional Parliament said. Dieudonné was training officials from Mali’s Parliament. The Parliament said the precise circumstances of his death are not yet known.
There were 22 Defense Department personnel, including military and civilians, in Bamako at the time of the incident, and they were all accounted for, according to a defense official.
Six U.S. citizens were rescued from the hotel, according to the U.S. Africa Command.
There was no U.S. involvement in the rescue assault aside from one military personnel member who was assisting hostages to a secure area, a defense official said.
French President François Hollande, speaking in preparation of a climate conference, said earlier that, "The counter-assault has started. Tourists and companies executive from various nationalities are being held hostages."
"I would like to ask all French nationals currently in sensitive countries to take all the necessary precautions," he said.
Hollande added, "France is available to give the special forces the help they need."
Olivier Salgado, of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Mali, said, "three people stormed the hotel with AK47s around 7a.m." and "security forces from Mali were deployed around the hotel" immediately.
Freelance journalist Katarina Hoije, who was at the scene, told ABC News that, "this is a hotel popular with Westerners and also many agencies working here, among them the U.N. peacekeeping mission who has staff staying at the hotel regularly."
The hotel said in a statement, "Our highest concern is the safety of all our guests and employees in the hotel. We are in constant contact with the authorities there and will share further information with you when we have it."
Radisson Blu receptionist Tambacouye Diarra told ABC News that he was at the reception desk surrounded by special forces. He said the gunmen were also surrounded by special forces in the hotel.
A gunman shot in his direction approximately 10 times, Diarra said. He said a gunman ran after him, but he was able to escape. Diarra said he saw people getting shot and some injured people being evacuated out of the hotel.
Among those in the hotel were three UN personnel, who are now safe, according to Salgado, and Air France and Turkish Airlines crew members, who are also safe, according to the airlines.
The president of Mali tweeted that he is in Chad but will be returning to Bamako in the next couple hours.
National Security Adviser Susan Rice briefed President Obama on the unfolding situation. He has directed his team to keep him apprised of developments.
France, the former colonial power in Mali, launched airstrikes in Mali two years ago to prevent the establishment of a terrorist state after armed groups linked to al Qaeda took over vast stretches of Mali. French involvement in Mali eventually morphed into a larger operation that involved ground troops and French special forces. At its height, 4,000 French soldiers were largely successful in helping Mali push the al Qaeda-linked rebels out of the country.
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