Hotel Radisson Blu in Mali post-attack and hostage drama. (Reuters)
"The attack by suspected Islamic militants were holding 170 people at the Radisson Blu Hotel in the capital city of Mali is over," said the US official was quoted as saying by the BBC on Saturday (21/11/2015).
National Security Council later condemned the heinous attacks in Bamako it.
Troops reported up to the 7th floor, where the attackers were cornered. The attackers reportedly with squealing 'Allahu Akbar!' as he opened fire.
Through Twitter account, President of Mali, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, expressed his gratitude to the security forces and friendly countries that provide assistance to deal with these armed attacks.
American and French special forces reportedly helped this hostage release operation.
UN peacekeepers in the region also expressed support for special operations forces of Mali, who stormed the floor by floor to free the hostages.
So far, the group Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and its affiliate, Al-Murabitoun, claimed responsibility for the hostage drama and attack at the famous hotel.
Mali Emergency Terror
Shortly after the hostage drama ended, President Keita announced the imposition of a state of emergency on terror. Conditions that entered into force on Friday, November 20, 2015 until midnight local time in the next 10 days.
Keita also announced a mourning period for 3 days.
In a statement after holding an emergency meeting with the ranks of ministers, Keita said as many as 21 people were killed in the attack, including two men hostage.
Previous reports said at least 27 people died. Therefore, a UN official who spoke without being able to put forward his identity, said 12 bodies were found in the basement of the hotel and 15 other bodies on the second floor.
CNN and Reuters previously reported, fatalities in the drama of the attack there were 22 people.
One of the hostages who died was Geoffrey Dieudonne, Belgian parliamentarians from the region of Wallonia.
China news agency, Xinhua, reported that there are three citizens who become victims. While the United States Department of State admitted that there was one US citizen were killed.
The attack and hostage drama in Mali not the first time that happened this year. In 2015, the militia group killed 13 people, including five UN workers, in captivity at a hotel in the city of Sevare.
Mali security responsibilities shouldered by the UN force since July 2013, after several major cities in the northern part of the country was taken over by the militia group.
Hotel Radisson Blu is often used foreigners as well as airline crew layover. That's why many victims come from outside Mali.
The Embassy in Dakar, Senegal responded attack, gunmen in renowned Radisson hotel located in the center of Bamako.
They said it was still checking all Indonesian citizens who were in there.
"There are 117 Indonesians in Mali. Two people working at the UN (United Nations) and 115 military personnel member mission of UN-MINUSMA," said Director of the Protection of Indonesian Citizens and Legal Entities Indonesia Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then Muhammad Iqbal quoted from the Indonesian Embassy in Dakar in written statement received by Friday, November 20th. (liputan6.com)
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