Gunmen have stormed a tourist resort in Mali popular with Westerners and two people are dead.
Country's Security Minister, Salif Traore says it is a jihadist attack.
He says Malian special forces intervened and about 20 hostages have been released while two were dead.
Government troops battled the gunmen at the luxury resort Le Campement Kangaba, east of the capital Bamako.
Malian special forces intervened, backed by UN soldiers and troops from a French counter‑terrorism force.
Traore says Westerners were fleeing the encampment while two plainclothes police exchanged fire with the assailants.
