A citizen of Russia was held hostage in an attack on a hotel in Mali – RBC

Malian police

Photo: AFP

The press attache of the Russian embassy in Mali Viktor Gorelov RBC confirmed that among the hostages taken in the Malian hotel “Byblos,” is Russian.

According to the diplomat, this fellow Russian airline UTair Edward Kim. “We have confirmed information that the Russian is in the hotel,” – he said.

The operation to free the hotel continues. About the attack on the hotel became known on Friday afternoon. A group of armed men attacked the hotel “Byblos”, which often stop foreigners. According to unconfirmed reports, during skirmishes with the military insurgents killed eight people, three of them – the soldiers.

As reported by AFP, one of the hostages managed to escape, it was a citizen of Ukraine. Local residents told French reporters that the attackers tried to kidnap a group of foreigners who were in the hotel.

According to Reuters, the hotel staff member killed a UN mission. He was a member of the UN mission to stabilize the situation in Mali and killed by the attack of militants.

So far, none of the extremist organization claimed responsibility for the incident.