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EARLY START

Three Dead In Mali Hotel Attack. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired November 20, 2015 - 05:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


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CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: All right, our breaking news this morning, gunmen attacking a Radisson Hotel in Mali. There are 170 hostages locked inside. At least three people are dead.

Welcome back to EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans in New York.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm John Berman in Paris. About 30 minutes after the hour here, one week after the Paris attacks. Christine. Christine, I can tell you this morning in the city, all eyes are on this siege, this hostage situation developing in Mali -- Christine.

ROMANS: Let's get right to that. We'll get back to Paris in a moment. Let's talk about this hostage situation unfolding at the Radisson Blue Hotel in Mali.

Witnesses report hearing automatic weapon fire. About 140 guests, 30 employees are trapped inside this hotel, which is located in the capital city of Bamako.

CNN's David McKenzie is monitoring all of this for us live from Johannesburg this morning. We know there are three fatalities. What can you tell us?

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. Tragically three fatalities and the expectation that this could get much worse because according to hotel officials through the presidency's office that 170 people, both guests and people working in that hotel, the Radisson Hotel in Bamako, the capital of Mali, a favorite hotel for westerners and incoming international business travellers.

They are holed up right now in a standoff with security forces both local and international including French forces involved. A state TV reporter who is on the scene or near to it, say at 9:30 local time, there was a beginning of that strike by security forces to take on these hostage takers.

It appears this unfolded early in the morning according to witnesses maybe around 7:00 a.m. in Bamako. As gunmen perhaps two, that's unverified, went into the hotel and started shooting. Three dead, as I say, so far.

The latest we have, in fact, is from Chinese state media. They managed to get hold of Chinese national there, at least seven stuck in the hotel, who said that they heard multiple gunshots around a room.

More scattered gunshots ensued. They could not get a hold of the front desk. It was escalating quickly situation in the hotel. Right now, we believe that the U.N. peacekeeping forces are also involved together with Malian forces.

They've set up a perimeter according to the U.N. around that hotel as the situation unfolds -- Christine and John.

[05:35:05] ROMANS: We know, David, that that hotel, we can show you where it is in the capital city. We can show you where it is relative to the U.S. Embassy. The American Embassy telling Americans to stay home, to shelter in place, and not to go outside. David, the clientele of the Radisson Blu, this would be diplomats, business leaders, and expatriates.

MCKENZIE: That's right. There will be also many people as you say, French nationals living in Bamako and certainly there has been a series of years of tension and worse in Mali in recent years. You remember in 2012 the rebellion joined with al Qaeda effectively pushed onto the capital of Bamako.

They were only stopped by French forces in a very dramatic operation back then. They've handed that over to the U.N. peacekeeping mission. There are at least several French nationals in that hotel right now.

Of course, one French citizen confirmed killed in this attack, according to U.N. officials. In the wake of these devastating Paris attacks, certainly the whole nation of France and world will be watching and wondering if there is a connection.

Too early to say at this point, but certainly the French have very significant military and civilian assets in Mali and have had for a very long time.

BERMAN: David McKenzie, it is John Berman in Paris. You are absolutely right, all eyes in France right now on the situation in Mali. Just a few minutes ago, we got new some information about the situation on the ground in Bamako.

CNN being told that Special Forces launched their first raid to counter this assault about one hour ago, about 4:30 a.m. Eastern Time, special forces went in to try to help the 170 people held hostage inside. The situation we are told still very much ongoing.

David, as you reported, three known fatalities so far, two from Mali, one a French national, that is because Mali very much within the French sphere shall we say. A lot of French interests in that country.

The French military has been very involved there over of the last several years. We don't know for sure if there is a connection between the Paris attacks and what is happening in Mali right now.

But if you wanted to attack France, David, outside the borders of France, Mali is certainly one place to do that. This Radisson business hotel with a lot of international travelers would be a place to do that.

MCKENZIE: Well, certainly. It's a very symbolic target also. U.N. officials saying that there was a big delegation there for the peace process so this may have links to the local situation in Mali, which is sort of limping towards peace because of that threat of Islamic fundamentalist affiliated groups that were threatening the capital some years ago.

There are significant French interests in the country. France has drawn down its troop levels within Mali, but even in times of peace, I have seen French Special Forces in Mali and elsewhere in that region operating both operations and hidden operations.

So the French military is very involved, very linked to the government in that region as well particularly in Mali with the close cultural and of course, military connection to France.

Right now, though, it appears that there are these hotel guests like this Chinese person we spoke to state TV in China. Terrified and holed up in their rooms under the threat of gunmen.

It is appears to be at a standoff stage. Witnesses you spoke to on the air and what we glean are that initial barrage of gunfire and explosions did come down. That by no means, means the situation is over.

ROMANS: David, we are learning the gunshots stopped around 30 minutes ago. Maybe in the last 30 minutes, it has been quiet. You are right, a standoff or standstill there.

One witness, a restaurant owner next to the hotel telling us they saw a couple of people escaping through a door who had been working out in the gym. It is morning there in Mali. This has been going on for a few hours now.

Tell us a bit, David, about who the players are now. You have U.N. peacekeepers and security forces, you have Special Forces there. You have diplomatic entourage. Who is there on the ground now?

[05:40:07] MCKENZIE: Well, it is a very significant military presence, coalition of U.N. peacekeepers which took over the operation from the French. They have been steps to recruit peace. It is important to give a recent history of the situation there.

You had the rebellion which was able to push through from the northern part of Mali and to the capital in 2012 because of chaos, but because of the Mali military with the situation of the coup in the country.

That vacuum, similar to what we have seen for other reasons in other countries including Syria and Nigeria, created this movement or this opportunity for a rebellion to push forward very much pushed by and with the help of al Qaeda. It is an ongoing terror threat to western interests and West African interests.

There has been a spate of attacks targeting mining, oil operations in the region earlier this year and targeting devastating U.N. So there are many groups, several groups working in that region, who would want to potentially attack French interests and western interests.

I think it is certainly significant this location. Whether it is a broader statement they are making or a narrow political statement from that region, we do not know yet. We don't know also the scale of the attack because you have these people held up by gunmen.

We have seen this throughout the world now including in France and India. This situation is extremely difficult from a security perspective to solve without further loss of life.

ROMANS: All right, David McKenzie, stay with us. I know you are still working on the story. John Berman is in Paris with that angle. We are going to follow this breaking news out of Mali again.

Gunmen storming a hotel, 170 people are trapped inside a hotel, at least three people killed.

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[05:46:20]

ROMANS: Our breaking news this morning from Bamako, the capital of Mali, two gunmen storming a Radisson Blu Hotel. They have taken 170 guests and employees hostage. This hostage situation is ongoing right now.

Witnesses report hearing automatic weapons fire. According to the U.N., at least three people are dead, two Malian nationals and one French national. We are told now three United Nation staff members have been safely evacuated from this siege.

The U.S. Embassy in Mali warning all Americans in the area they should shelter in place. Three months ago, suspected Islamist extremist killed 13 people including five U.N. workers at a hotel in Central Mali.

John Berman, this is an attack on diplomacy and western interests and France indirectly because of the strong long ties between France and Mali.

BERMAN: Christine, obviously I'm in Paris right now covering the aftermath of these attacks here that were one week ago. I can tell you right now on French television and French media, it is wall-to- wall coverage of the situation in Mali.

Remember, the French military went into Mali just about three years ago. Al Qaeda and al Qaeda-affiliated groups occupied the northern part of that country. The French went in and turned that government back over to the people there.

But the French is very, very much involved. So if you wanted to attack France, outside of this country, outside of France itself, Mali would be a country where you could make that statement.

The Radisson Blu Hotel within that country is where you would find business travelers and find diplomats. At this point, we have been told three people killed, two from Mali and one French national. It is not surprising that people from France would be at that hotel.

Christine, we are also told a raid, Special Forces raid on that hotel took place an hour and 15 minutes ago so obviously troops going in now to confront the would-be attackers. As you said, early reports were just two gunmen.

Hard to believe that just two gunmen can control a situation this big at a hotel with 170 hostages, about 140 people staying at the hotel, guests there, 30 staff members believed to be held hostage right now in this ongoing situation in Mali.

I want to say President Obama who is traveling right now on the road, I believe in Malaysia this morning, has been briefed on the situation, the ongoing terror situation in Mali.

ROMANS: We are told, John, that security forces there have managed to get some people out of the hotel, perhaps a dozen or so. The U.N. has said that a few of its employees have been evacuated and pulled out of that siege situation.

We know from talking to a restaurant owner next door to the hotel, he saw two people manage to slip out of a side door, people who had been in a hotel's gym. There are some people managing to get out of there, but by and large, this is a very big hostage situation that is still unfolding.

We have not heard gunshots, John Berman, for the last maybe 40 minutes or so. It seems at this point, John, this is a standoff. We don't know what is going on inside that hotel right now.

BERMAN: We don't know if this is connected either to the terror attacks here in Paris. In Mali, it has been mainly al Qaeda affiliated groups operating. Not necessarily ISIS. ISIS is claiming responsibility for what happened here in Paris.

[05:50:09] I have spoken to someone who actually stayed at the Radisson hotel in Mali. It is known for business and diplomatic travel, but known to be a western hangout, a place where westerners go when they are in that city.

ROMANS: We know that the U.S. embassy had warned its staffers and Americans in the vicinity to shelter in place to stay home right now. We know there are multiple security forces and military personnel, who have ringed the hotel and we are waiting for word on whether they are able to get anymore out, again, three fatalities there right now.

John, no one has claimed responsibility. You make a very good point that ISIS is taking responsibility for what happened in Paris, but this is al Qaeda territory in Mali.

BERMAN: Yes, very much so, very much so, Al Qaeda affiliated group occupy a huge swath of territory in the northern part of the country and for a long time, that was an area where fighters traversed into Libya.

Of course, so much conflict going on there as well. It was a transit area for fighters into Libya, mostly connected again to al Qaeda. No shortage of Islamist terrorists operating in that region. A number of attacks, you mentioned one within the last year in Mali, a frequent target for terror groups there.

As of now, no known ISIS connection, the reason we are wonder is because of what happened one week ago with 129 people killed in a string of attacks in this city last Friday night.

Just within the last few days, there's been more activity here as well with the man believed to be the ringleader, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, killed in a raid in the suburb of Saint-Denis. Some people are wondering if this is retaliation for that. No known connection at the time.

But definitely French interests this morning because of the possibility there could be many French citizens at the hotel right now.

ROMANS: A lot of breaking developments. Reuters reporting that the gunmen are moving floor by floor and taking people. They are moving to the seventh floor of the Radisson Blu Hotel. Few people getting out in the terrifying situation there at Radisson Blu.

John Berman, stay with me. We will have more on the gunmen storming the hotel, 170 people trapped inside, gunmen moving floor to floor. Three people dead. We are back after a break.

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[05:57:04]

ROMANS: We are following breaking news from Bamako, the capital of Mali, two gunmen storming a Radisson Blu Hotel taking 170 guests and employees hostages. According to the U.N., at least three people are dead, two Mali nationals and one French national.

The U.S. Embassy warning all of it Americans to shelter in place. Two gunmen arrived with automatic weapons and fired through the security post at the entrance, John. Reuters reporting the gunmen are moving floor-to-floor throughout the hotel -- John.

BERMAN: Christine, hard to believe, could be more people involved right now. We understand the Special Forces had begun a siege on that hotel for about an hour and a half right now to try to take control of the situation. Here in Paris, all eyes on the situation.

Enormous French interests in Mali, the likelihood there could be French travelers inside that hotel, business men and diplomats. Again the breaking news coverage, a hostage situation in Mali. "NEW DAY" picks it up right now. CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Viewers in the United States and around the world, you are watching NEW DAY and we are following breaking news from here in Paris.

Yet another terror attack, this an active hostage situation in Mali's capital after ten or more gunmen stormed a Radisson Hotel there. Let's get right to CNN's David McKenzie live in Johannesburg with the breaking details. David, going floor-to-floor and deaths what can you tell us?

MCKENZIE: Well, Chris, an evolving and serious situation in the West African country of Mali. What we know according to a U.N. spokesman around 7:00 a.m. local time, we believe that there were two to three gunmen in fact in diplomatic cars of some kind that consent to this Radisson Hotel, which is very popular with foreign nationals, expats as well as businessmen.

There are some 170 guests, crew, and people there who are potentially being held by those hostages. Several people were able to escape including details now as three U.N. employees were extracted according to a U.N. spokesperson.

This area has been known for its insecurity, particularly in the northern part of Mali, but this is a major escalation right in the heart of the capital, very much a center of French and foreign interests in that country -- Chris.

CUOMO: All right. David McKenzie, thank you very much. On the phone I want to bring in a man who owns a restaurant right next to the Radisson where this is ongoing, says he heard the attack. What can you tell us about what have you heard and what transpired after that? OK --