Gunmen Seize Hostages At Mali Hotel

Gunmen attacked a popular hotel in Mali's capital on Friday with guns and grenades, authorities and a witness said, taking scores of hostages. A Malian official said at least three people were killed in the raid, but their identities remained unclear.

CBS News correspondent Mark Phillips says the attack involved as many as 10 militants who -- according to a local army commander -- rammed into the hotel grounds in a vehicle, firing guns and using grenades. Witnesses said the attackers were shouting "Allahu Akbar," or "God is great," the jihadist battle cry.

A statement provided to the BBC by the Rezidor hotel group said it "understands that a hostage-taking is under way" at the Radisson Blu in Bamako. "According to our information, two people are holding 140 clients and 30 employees."

The Reuters news agency later reported that some of the hostages had been freed, including those who were able to recite verses from the Quran. Reuters reported that Turkish Airlines employees and Chinese nationals were among those held in the building.

Several hours after the siege began, Malian special forces were seen entering the hotel building.

The incident comes with Europe on high alert in the wake of the Paris attacks, which left 129 people dead and scores more wounded a week earlier. At least nine ISIS-linked militants stormed restaurants and cafes, a sports stadium and a concert venue in those attacks.

The suspected coordinator, Belgian jihadist Abdelhamid Abaaoud, was killed Wednesday morning in bloody police raid north of the French capital, along with two other still-unidentified individuals.

The U.S. Embassy in Mali asked citizens to shelter in place amid reports of an "ongoing active shooter operation" at the hotel.

Reports of gunfire surfaced Friday morning on social media, though Lt. Col. Diarran Kone, an adviser with Mali's defense ministry, said the circumstances remained unclear.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.