Special forces stormed the hotel in Bamako, the capital of Mali, where up to 170 people are believed to be held hostages by suspected Islamists.

The attackers targeted the Radisson Blu Hotel in the centre of the capital, which is popular with expats working in Mali.

At least three people were killed after gunmen entered the hotel shooting and shouting "God is great" in Arabic, the BBC reports.

According to media reports, 80 hostages have already been released.

Earlier it was reported that people able to recite verses of the Quran were being released.

Among the guests at the hotel there are Turkish, Chinese and French citizens.

The number of the attackers is unknown, with figures ranging from five to thirteen.

There were reportedly 140 guests and thirty employees at the time of the attack.

In August, suspected Islamist gunmen killed thirteen people, including five UN workers during a hostage siege at a hotel in the town of Sevare in central Mali.

The Bulgarian Defence Ministry informed that the four Bulgarian medics serving in the EU Training Mission (EUTM) in Mali are safe.