![\"French](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/624\/cpsprodpb\/F8E2\/production\/_96541736_949c6801-9c43-41e1-a392-8923dfcc40e9.jpg\")
<\/p>\nGunmen have stormed a tourist resort in Mali popular with Westerners and two people are dead, the country’s security minister has said.<\/p>\n
“It is a jihadist attack. Malian special forces intervened and hostages have been released,” Salif Traore told AFP news agency.<\/p>\n
“Unfortunately for the moment there are two dead, including a Franco-Gabonese.”<\/p>\n
The attack happened at luxury resort Le Campement Kangaba, east of the capital Bamako.<\/p>\n
The minister said four assailants had been killed by security forces.<\/p>\n
“We have recovered the bodies of two attackers who were killed,” said Mr Traore, adding that they were “searching for the bodies of two others”.<\/p>\n
One of them left behind a machine gun and bottles filled with “explosive substances”.<\/p>\n
The ministry said another two people had been injured, including a civilian.<\/p>\n
A security ministry spokesman told Reuters 32 guests had been rescued from the resort.<\/p>\n
Malian special forces intervened, backed by UN soldiers and troops from a French counter-terrorism force.<\/p>\n
Witness Boubacar Sangare was just outside the compound as the attack unfolded.<\/p>\n
“Westerners were fleeing the encampment while two plainclothes police exchanged fire with the assailants,” he said.<\/p>\n
“There were four national police vehicles and French soldiers in armoured vehicles on the scene.”<\/p>\n
He added that a helicopter was circling overhead.<\/p>\n
The European Union training mission in Mali, EUTMMALI, tweeted that it was aware of the attack and was supporting Malian security forces and assessing the situation.<\/p>\n
Earlier this month, the US embassy in Bamako had warned of “possible future attacks on Western diplomatic missions, other locations in Bamako that Westerners frequent”.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
BBC correspondent Alex Duval Smith says many expats and wealthy Malians go to Kangaba at weekends, to enjoy the pools, cocktail bar, canoeing facilities, and other activities for children.<\/p>\n
Mali has been fighting a jihadist insurgency for several years, with Islamist fighters roaming the country’s north and centre.<\/p>\n
In November 2015, at least 20 people were killed when gunmen took guests and staff hostage at the Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako.<\/p>\n
Al-Qaeda’s North African arm, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), said it was behind that siege.<\/p>\n
Mali has been in a state of emergency since the Radisson Blu attack. It was extended for a further six months in April.<\/p>\n
The country’s security has gradually worsened since 2013, when French forces repelled allied Islamist and Tuareg rebel fighters from parts of the north.<\/p>\n
French troops and a 10,000-strong force of UN peacekeepers have been battling to stabilise the former French colony.<\/p>\n
–<\/p>\n
Source: BBC<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Gunmen have stormed a tourist resort in Mali popular with Westerners and two people are dead, the country’s security minister has said. “It is a jihadist attack. Malian special forces intervened and hostages have been released,” Salif Traore told AFP news agency. “Unfortunately for the moment there are two dead, including a Franco-Gabonese.” The attack […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":329408,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[107],"tags":[8327,8328,8329],"yoast_head":"\n