Gunmen have stormed a tourist resort in Mali popular with westerners and two people are dead, the country’s security minister has said.
“It is a militant attack. Malian special forces intervened and hostages have been released,” Salif Traore told AFP news agency, BBC reported.
“Unfortunately for the moment there are two dead, including a Franco-Gabonese.”
The attack happened at luxury resort Le Campement Kangaba, east of the capital Bamako. The minister said four assailants had been killed by security forces.
“We have recovered the bodies of two attackers who were killed,” said Traore, adding that they were “searching for the bodies of two others”.
One of them left behind a machine gun and bottles filled with “explosive substances”.
The ministry said two other people had been injured, including a civilian.
A security ministry spokesman told Reuters 32 guests had been rescued from the resort.
Malian special forces intervened, backed by UN soldiers and troops from a French counter-terrorism force.
Witness Boubacar Sangare was just outside the compound as the attack unfolded.
“Westerners were fleeing the encampment while two plainclothes police exchanged fire with the assailants,” he said.
“There were four national police vehicles and French soldiers in armored vehicles on the scene.”
He added that a helicopter was circling overhead.
The European Union training mission in Mali, EUTMMALI, tweeted that it was aware of the attack and was supporting Malian security forces and assessing the situation.
Earlier this month, the US Embassy in Bamako had warned of “possible future attacks on Western diplomatic missions, other locations in Bamako that westerners frequent”.
