Photos: Mali Hotel attack ends leaving 27 people dead

27 people including a French diplomat and six Chinese nationals have been confirmed dead from the terror attack that occurred at the Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako, the Malian capital this morning. For several hours, militants armed with grenades and AK-47held 170 people hostage inside the 5 star hotel after arriving in a car with a diplomatic plate number.

They started releasing hostages once they could recite a verse in the Holy Koran. Three of the extremists were killed. The al-Qaeda affiliated group Al-Mourabitoun, based in the Sahara of northern Mali, have claimed responsibility for the attack. The death toll in the attack currently stands at 27, with 12 bodies found in the basement and another 15 on the second floor.