Mali's Defense Ministry reported on Saturday that a military operation to retake the hotel ended successfully early in the day.

Four UN contractors - two South Africans, a Russian and a Ukrainian - were freed when security forces stormed the hotel as it was being held by suspected Islamist militants, a spokeswoman for MINUSMA, Mali's UN mission, told the Reuters news agency.

"MINUSMA is happy to announce that four contracted individuals have been picked up safe and sound," Radhia Achouri said.

After the siege ended, four additional bodies were found in the Hotel Byblos in Sevare, including three hotel staff and one militant, Lieutenant Colonel Diaran Kone, a spokesman for the Defense Ministry, said. Officials had earlier announced that five Malian soldiers were killed, two jihadis and a UN contractor, bringing the death toll up to 12.

Twin attacks

The attack began on Friday with a raid on a military site in Sevare, about 600 kilometers (350 miles) northeast of the capital, Bamako.

When that attack was successfully warded off by government troops, the militants stormed the hotel near the town's airport, where they took several hostages.

Government forces then launched a siege in a bid to dislodge the gunmen.

International clientele

The hotel is used by UN staff from several nations. Officials said those staying at the hotel included a Russian, a Ukrainian and French and South African citizens.

Islamist militants in the country appear to be staging a resurgence after a French-led military operation in 2013 drove them out of northern towns and cities they had seized the year before.

A UN-brokered peace deal agreed in June has failed to put a final end to years of unrest and ethnic divisions.

tj/jlw (Reuters, AFP)