Six Americans rescued from Mali hotel

Six Americans have been rescued from the luxury hotel in Bamako, Mali, where unidentified gunmen took 170 people including many foreigners hostage, U.S. officials said Friday.

"A small group of U.S. forces have helped move civilians to a secure location," U.S. Africa Command's spokesman Colonel Mark Cheadle told reporters in Washington.

Cheadle said that "at least six U.S. citizens" had been rescued.

Militants attacked the Radisson Blu Hotel in the Malian capital of Bamako earlier Friday, taking some 170 guests and hotel staff hostage.

Mali's Minister of Internal Security and Civil Protection told reporters that the Malian special forces have stormed the building and rescued 30 Malians and foreigners while the rest of the hostages managed to escape by themselves.

However, the hotel said in a statement on its website that 124 guests and 13 staff were still trapped.

Another U.S. defense official said that about 25 American military personnel were in Bamako when Islamist gunmen stormed the building, but there has not been a formal request for U.S. military assistance. Enditem