Suspected Islamist militants attacked two hotels in central Mali, killing five Malian soldiers and taking a number of hostages.

Kaman Kane, governor of the Mopti region, told VOA French-to-Africa news service the soldiers were killed as gunmen attacked the Debo and Blybos hotels Friday in the town of Sevare.

The governor said the Malian army was able to rescue four French hostages,  but that one Ukrainian and one South African were still inside the buildings.

The Malian army was waiting for a French SWAT team from the capital, Bamako, to arrive and intervene.

Islamist militants remain active in northern and central Mali despite the presence of U.N. peacekeepers.

A French-led military force ousted Islamist groups from power in northern Mali in 2013. The groups had seized power in the north after a military coup in Bamako in 2012.
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