Putin condemns Mali hotel attack as "inhumane atrocity"

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday condemned an attack on Friday at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Bamako, Mali, which killed at least 27 people.

Putin said the inhumane atrocity committed in the Malian capital city again confirmed that "terrorism knows no borders and poses a real threat to the whole world."

"People of different faith and nationality fall prey to terrorism and it is only possible to fight it through broad international cooperation," Putin was quoted by an online Kremlin statement as saying.

Putin extended condolences to Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, and sincere sympathies and support to the victims' families and friends.

Six Russians were killed during the attack, which was claimed by Jihadist Al-Murabitoun extremist group based in northern Mali.

"The six victims were gunned down in the hotel restaurant in the first moments of the terror attack," RIA Novosti news agency quoted Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying.

The ministry on Saturday confirmed that all the six people are employees of the Volga-Dnepr Airlines, while another six Russians were rescued by Mali security services.

About 170 people were held hostage for around nine hours by gunmen before Mali forces rescued them. Keita said two attackers had been killed. Mali security forces are searching for more involved.

"We strongly condemn this inhumane crime that was aimed at destabilizing the situation in Mali and undermining the process of internal settlement," said Zakharova.

The Malian government declared a 10-day nationwide state of emergency and announced three days of mourning for the victims, who also included three Chinese, an American and a Belgian. Endi