US ready to help Mali govt.: White House
The United States has condemned the terrorist attack on a luxurious hotel in Mali, saying it is ready to help the Malian government to investigate the “tragic” assault.
"We can confirm that the attack has ended, and we continue to coordinate with US officials on the ground to verify the location of all American citizens in Mali," White House National Security Council spokesman Ned Price said in a statement on Friday.
“We are prepared to assist the Malian government in the coming days as it investigates this tragic terrorist attack,” Price added.
“The United States stands with the people of Mali and will remain a steadfast partner to the Government of Mali and others in the region fighting the terrorist groups that seek to undermine Mali’s efforts to build a durable peace following the crisis in 2012 and 2013,” he added.
On Friday morning, gunmen stormed the Radisson Blu hotel in Mali's capital, Bamako, taking 170 hostages, many of them foreign guests.
The assault has finally ended, but left at least 27 people dead and six others injured, who have been hospitalized.
Twelve bodies were found in the basement and 15 bodies were found on the second floor, said an unnamed UN official.
The attack began about 7 a.m., when two or three attackers carrying AK-47 rifles got off at least one vehicle with diplomatic plates and entered the hotel while firing their guns.
The attack took place as the hotel hosted diplomatic delegations working on a peace process in the landlocked country.
According to an agency used by terrorists in the region, Al-Qaeda group and its offshoot al-Murabitoun carried out the attack.
The Mali attack came one week after similar attacks by Daesh terrorists killed 130 people and injured 352 others in Paris, France.
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