Another step The global jihad, Mali hotel attack: '170 hostages seized' in Bamako

[pajomife]

Gunmen have attacked a Radisson hotel in Mali’s capital, Bamako, and are holding 170 hostages,most French,US,and Chinese the hotel company has confirmed.Suspected Islamist militants stormed the hotel on Friday, around 600 kilometres north-east of the capital Bamako, killing at least five Malian soldiers.
Fridays will be bloody from now on?

[Caligula's_Horse]

Does anyone know if the local special forces are any good, or if that's not the case, Mali's government would be willing to borrow somebody elses'? Because without good commandos (and the time to bring them in), this sort of thing rarely ends well.

I take it the hostage takers haven't made any demands yet. That's usually not a good sign, it means they might just start executing the hostages on a whim at some point.

[Roma_Victrix]

There are a large number of foreigners in the hotel, including Chinese:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/...I5EZaLklTEv.97

[pajomife]

There are a large number of foreigners in the hotel, including Chinese:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/...I5EZaLklTEv.97

The hostages are mainly westerns and Chinese business men they had a conference few days ago.
The terrorists set free some that knew some Coran passages.

[Davius]

The hostages are mainly westerns and Chinese business men they had a conference few days ago.
The terrorists set free some that knew some Coran passages.

Religion of peace.

[Roma_Victrix]

The hostages are mainly westerns and Chinese business men they had a conference few days ago.
The terrorists set free some that knew some Coran passages.

Coran? I think you mean "Koran," never seen it spelled the way you've done here. In either case, yes, this reminds me of the Kenya mall attack already (i.e. the religious test for the hostages).

[Chromium]

A French connection again. These peaceful folk seem to have some special beef with the frenchies...

[Chromium]

Coran? I think you mean "Koran," never seen it spelled the way you've done here. In either case, yes, this reminds me of the Kenya mall attack already (i.e. the religious test for the hostages).

Meh! Who cares what it's called?

I've read that rag. It's worse than the Bible- and the Bible is only fit to wipe one's arse with. Though the way things are, we all might have to end up memorizing that stuff if we want to get by.

[Keyser]

Coran? I think you mean "Koran," never seen it spelled the way you've done here. In either case, yes, this reminds me of the Kenya mall attack already (i.e. the religious test for the hostages).

Coran is the spelling in french and, i guess, in spanish.

Koran is not more correct since it's a guttural k in arabic, usualy transcripted as a "q" in arabic written in latin script.

As to the special forces, no i fear the malian don't have them. They will need international help.

A French connection again. These peaceful folk seem to have some special beef with the frenchies...

Of course they have.

Have you been living under a rock during the recent malian crisis and the subsequent extension of the fight to the centrafrican republic ?

Or the algerian civil war against islamists in the 90's ?

Because ever since the latest, France has been targeted by islamists.

[Chromium]

Of course they have.

Have you been living under a rock during the recent malian crisis and the subsequent extension of the fight to the centrafrican republic ?

I guess I'm one of the few here who has read the Quran and the Hadiths- so saying I don't know this stuff is a bit rich.

Frankly, Islamists- despite all their rhetoric- go very soft when it comes to Westerners. Their real problems are with Muslim Socialists, followed by Jews & Hindus, and finally Russians. I can actually imagine a White Muslim Europe- but a Muslim 'India' or 'Israel'? Nope, they'll kill every Hindu or Jew they'll find, not bother to convert them.

The attack was in Bamako- deep in the heart of black Mali. Usually, Islamist attacks in Mali are tied up with Tuareg nationalism- and so, mostly localized in the North. This attack is unique in many ways- especially because it comes so close to two major ones within this year itself.

[Chromium]

Coran is the spelling in french and, i guess, in spanish.

Koran is not more correct since it's a guttural k in arabic, usualy transcripted as a "q" in arabic written in latin script.

As to the special forces, no i fear the malian don't have them. They will need international help.

The French army is the Malian army. It'll be Paris that will be called in the end.

This is actually an attack on France, not on Mali.

[Keyser]

Not really unique because before the french intervention there was a series of hostages takings targeting europeans (and french especially) tourists and buisnessmen all around western Africa from terrorists coming from the Sahel.

The event that precipitated the french intervention in Mali was indeed because of a connection with tuareg nationalists demands and an influx of weapons and veterans from Libya, but the use of the sahel and sahara as a safe zone by islamists militants (and them launching operations from there in neighbouring areas) go back all the way to the algerian civil war.

And French intelligence services surveyed/monitored the area since the 90's.

The French army is the Malian army. It'll be Paris that will be called in the end.

This is actually an attack on France, not on Mali.

True.

[pajomife]

The French army is the Malian army. It'll be Paris that will be called in the end.

This is actually an attack on France, not on Mali.

Of course,France was the last relevant country who attack IS in Syria and are very vulnerable,in Europe and in the formers colonies,of course that in this attack if they found American or any citizens of the coalition,they should be killed,but I bet that Chinese ones won't.

[Papay]

You brought them internet so that they can coordinate their attacks around the globe

[Keyser]

Of course,France was the last relevant country who attack IS in Syria and are very vulnerable,in Europe and in the formers colonies,of course that in this attack if they found American or any citizens of the coalition,they should be killed,but I bet that Chinese ones won't.

I am pretty sure that there are no direct link with the IS.

It's all about the intervention in Mali and Algerian/saharan islamists, vaguely linked to AQ in the form of AQMI.
The only link with the IS is that they probably chose to strike now because it would raise more interest just after the Paris' attacks.

You brought them internet so that they can coordinate their attacks around the globe

Because that kind of "coordination" couldn't be achieved just by watching the TV/reading the news/listening to the radio ?

I mean, maybe there is communication and a link, but i am not sure it's very relevant...

[ByzantinePowerGame]

I am sure that Obama doesn't want to speculate on who did this or what their motives are...

It wouldn't be Mohammedans because Islam is the religion of peace.

[Flavius Julius Nepos Augustus]

1-2 Belgians dead +-20 people killed

All hostages are now safe according to a Mali chief of police.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Doesn't look good

this is the leader of Al-Qaida there

[snuggans]

supposedly all the hostages are free, there are a bunch of dead bodies in the hallways, but there are also still gunmen inside the hotel? doesn't make any logical sense unless they're holed up in there with explosives, but thats what im hearing from the news

[Roma_Victrix]

I read that a Belgian member of Parliament was one of those killed by the militants.

[Emperor Arcturus Mengsk]

Apparently the only safe place on earth from these kind of attacks is North Korea.