It appears that gunmen have stormed the Radisson Blu in Bamako, the capital of Mali. News reports suggest that some of these have since been freed, based on their ability to quote from the Koran. This report has come from Reuters.

The suggestion from Radisson is that there are two gunmen who have taken guests and staff hostage.

The local police are blocking off the area, after the early morning raid on the hotel. There is also a report that the French Military have taken up positions outside the hotel. The French helped to remove a radical group who controlled the country until a few years ago.

This is the BBC’s coverage.