With France expected to extend its state of emergency at home, jihadists have hit Mali, as news has been coming in throughout the morning of explosions and a hostage crisis in the 190-room luxury Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako, Mali, popular with tourists and expats working in the country. Malian forces stormed the building with a number being rescued, including some crew from Air France. The French government said it was aware that there were hostages inside but did not know if they had been killed. This also follows reports this week that several EU members were considering plans to send more peacekeepers to Mali, so as to free up French forces who intervened against Islamist fighters there in 2013.
With France expected to extend its state of emergency at home, jihadists have hit Mali, as news has been coming in throughout the morning of explosions and a hostage crisis in the 190-room luxury Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako, Mali, popular with tourists and expats working in the country. Malian forces stormed the building with a number being rescued, including some crew from Air France. Back in October, a recording was released of Mali jihadist leader, Iyad Ag Ghaly, denouncing the peace deal signed in Mali this year, and calling for further attacks against France and its citizens; this recording came back in the press this week, following the Paris attacks. This also follows reports this week that several EU members were considering plans to send more peacekeepers to Mali, so as to free up French forces who intervened against Islamist fighters there in 2013.