Islamist gunmen attack luxury hotel in Mali capital

Two gunmen killed in Mali hotel siege: Malian military

Mali hotel gunmen 'holding no more hostages': AFP quotes security minister

Mali: 342 killed in terror this year pic.twitter.com/d9RcRVB8uZ — ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) November 20, 2015

Al-Qaida affiliated group claim Mali attack( Reuters)

An African Jihadist group affiliated with al-Qaida claimed responsibility on Friday for the attack and ongoing hostage-taking at a business hotel in the Malian capital Bamako. Al-Mourabitoun, a group based in northern Mali and made up mostly of Tuaregs and Arabs, posted a message on Twitter saying it was behind the attack on the Radisson Blu hotel, where hostages are still being held. The claim could not immediately be verified.

French special forces operating at Bamako hotel hostage situation

French special forces are at the hotel where Islamist gunmen took hostages in the Malian capital earlier on Friday, France's defence minister said.

French special forces reach Mali's hostage hotel: PTI quotes country's defence ministry

US special forces assist in Mali hotel hostage recovery: Pentagon

US special forces were helping in the effort to rescue hostages at a luxury hotel in the Malian capital on Friday, a Pentagon spokeswoman said. "Special Operations Command Forward-North and West Africa personnel are currently assisting hostage recovery efforts at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Bamako," Lieutenant Colonel Michelle Baldanza said. "US forces have helped move civilians to secured locations, as Malian forces clear the hotel of hostile gunmen."

WATCH: All Indians evacuated safely from Mali hotel

Joint team of UN, Mali and Fench soldiers evacuate all Indians from the hotel under siege, says Indian national who was trapped there along with 19 others.

Heavy gunfire heard from inside Mali hotel where special forces are seeking to free hostages, witness says: Reuters

124 guests, 13 staff still inside Radisson Blu hotel: Reuters reports quoting company statement

Some hostages were freed after showing they could recite verses from the Quran, Reuters reports quoting a security source.

Obama says he is monitoring situation in Mali

President Barack Obama says he's monitoring the situation playing out in Mali. Obama made the brief comment about hotel attack after a meeting in Kuala Lumpur with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak. He didn't offer any additional details. The White House says Obama was briefed about the attack by his national security adviser, Susan Rice. White House officials say Obama has asked to be kept updated about new developments.

Twenty Indians who were among several people held hostage at Hotel Radisson Blue in Mali's capital of Bamako by armed men on Friday are safe and the India embassy is in touch with them, a top diplomat told TOI.

WATCH: 80 hostages freed from Mali hotel

Hostage freed from Radisson Blu hotel in Mali capital says he heard attackers speaking English.

Elite French unit is heading to Mali amid hostage crisis.

WATCH: Islamist gunmen attack hotel in Mali; 170 taken hostage, including 20 Indians

Mali special forces are clearing Radisson hotel floor by floor, Reuters reports quoting witnesses.

Eighty hostages freed from Mali hotel siege, state broadcaster says.

Malian special forces enter Bamako Radisson Blu where Islamist gunmen holding hostages: Witness

The Indians work for a Dubai-based company and were residing in the hotel permanently, says government.

The raid on the Radisson Blu hotel, which lies just west of the city center near government ministries and diplomatic offices in the former French colony, comes a week after Islamic State (IS) militants killed 129 people in Paris.