Photo: Davido Meets President Of Mali, Ibrahim Keita

Singer Davido, is in Mali for a concert. He met with the Malian President, Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, as pictured above.

Update: Seven Dead in Mali’s Hotel Attack

Seven people have been killed in a gun attack in Sevare in central Mali. The dead include "four Malian soldiers, two terrorists and one white foreigner," Malian army spokesman Souleymane Maiga said in a text message, according to a statement received by Reuters.

Malian soldiers are surrounding the Byblos Hotel in Sevare, central Mali, where suspected Islamist gunmen are holding at least one foreign hostage, according to the spokesman for the defence ministry.

The siege is still ongoing as the soldiers are still searching all hotel rooms.


Julia Blaise

Gunmen Attack Hotels In Central Mali, Hold Guests Hostage

Gunmen on motorbikes have attacked three hotels in Mali on Friday, holding guests hostage. Soldiers have reportedly surrounded three hotels - the Debo, the Motel and the Flandres - all near each other, trying to fire back at the gunmen.

The BBC has learnt that the hotels which have come under attack have guests staying from South Africa, France and Ukraine. It is understood that all have foreign guests, including from France, South Africa and Ukraine, but it is not clear whether they are inside with the gunmen or have managed to get out.

The attack is so severe that residents are hiding in their homes