Gunmen stormed a hotel in Mali yesterday, taking hostages and sparking a standoff that has left seven people dead. The Byblos Hotel in Mali is said to house a number of important international personnel and a UN contractor is among the seven feared dead.
Although the Army has cordoned the area and two of the gunmen have reportedly been killed, the situation is far from over as the gunmen are still reportedly holding hostages.
The UN mission in Mali has issued a statement condemning the “despicable attack in the strongest terms” and said that “shots continue to be fired sporadically at the hotel and in its vicinity”.