Gunmen attack central Mali hotel, kill 1 and hurt 2 others

BAMAKO, Mali – A government official in Mali says gunmen killed one person and wounded two others in an attack on a hotel frequented by aid workers and businessmen in central Bandjagara city.

Interior security spokesman Amadou Sangho says four gunmen entered the Hotel la Falaise late Wednesday, opening fire on a soldier standing guard. He fired back but was killed. Two civilians, including a hotel employee, were wounded.

The attack comes days after Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga visited Bandjagara, promising to defeat Islamic extremists.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, though jihadists have increasingly carried out attacks in central and northern Mali. It is the first such attack in Bandjagara.

The Dogon region once was a major tourist site, but jihadist violence since 2012 has reduced visits.