At least 80 people taken hostage on Friday by unidentified gunmen in a five-star hotel in Mali's capital Bamako were freed.
The Malian special forces have started clearing the hotel as sporadic gunshots were heard, witnesses said.
The Radisson Blu Hotel chain said two gunmen had taken 140 guests and 30 employees hostage, Xinhua news agency reported.
Among the hostages, 20 were Indian and 10 hostages were Chinese.
Three people -- two Malian citizen and a French national -- were killed.
No group has taken responsibility so far.
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