Eighty hostages freed, 3 killed in Mali hotel siege

Eighty hostages have been freed so far as special forces enter the besieged hotel, according to the state broadcast station.

At least three people have been killed as gunmen throwing grenades seized 170 hostages at a luxury hotel in the Mali capital, military officials said.

The attackers seized staff and guests at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Bamako, although a Malian army commander later said about 20 hostages had been released.

It was not immediately clear why the group was freed or how many remained held by the militants.