The extremist group that attack hotel in Mali.

A Mali security officer holds up a jihadist flag - the group is linked to Al-Qaeda, and refused to align with ISIS earlier this year

The extremist group split two years ago from Al Qaiea's North Africa branch and is led by the one-eyed Mokthar Belmokhtar, who is also known as the 'Marlboro Man'. The group said it wanted fighters freed from Mali's prisons and for attacks against northern Malians to stop.

The jihadist group, known as the Mourabitounes, was formed in 2013 after Belmoktar left al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and fused with a Malian militant group. The statement issued on Friday said the Mourabitounes had attacked in coordination with the 'Sahara Emirate' affiliated with Al Qaeda. 

Several witnesses have claimed that the gunmen entered through the gates of the hotel in a car with a diplomatic number plate before opening fire with AK-47s and throwing grenades inside the building. The gunmen were also speaking to the hostages in English, according to one who was freed.

#'I heard them say in English 'Did you load it?, Let's go',' revealed Guinean singer Sekouba 'Bambino' Diabate, who was rescued by Malian security forces.

Mr Diabate added: 'I wasn't able to see them because in these kinds of situations it's hard. I woke up with the sounds of gunshots and for me, it was just small bandits who came in the hotel to claim something. After 20 or 30 minutes, I realized these are not just petty criminals.'

The hotel's head of security, Seydou Dembele, said two private security guards had been shot in the legs in the early stages of the assault.

'We saw two of the attackers. One was wearing a balaclava. The other was black-skinned. They forced the first barrier,' Dembele told Reuters.