Mali authorities search for three suspects after attack

Authorities in Mali are looking for at least three suspects after an attack on a hotel left 19 civilians dead.

The president of Mali Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta has declared a 10-day state of emergency after militants took more than 130 people hostage at a luxury hotel.

He has said 21 people, including two Islamist militants, died in the siege in the country's capital, Bamako.

An American was among those killed in the attack which has been claimed by a group linked to Al Qaida.

US President Obama has described the siege as barbaric: “Like the heinous attacks we saw in Paris and attacks we see all too often elsewhere, this is another awful reminder that the scourge of terrorism threatens so many of our nations.

“Once again the barbarity only stiffens our resolve to meet this challenge.”