80 hostages freed in Mali hotel siege: TV

Around 80 of 170 hostages seized when gunmen went on a shooting rampage at a luxury hotel in Mali's capital on Friday have been freed, local television reported.

"Radisson hotel attack: special forces launched an operation, first hostages released, about 80," the state-run ORTM channel said on a scrolling banner, without specifying the source of the information.

"Our special forces have freed hostages and 30 others were able to escape on their own," Security Minister Salif Traore told AFP. (AFP)