Bamako: At least five people, including soldiers, have been killed in a terror attack on a hotel in Mali's central town of Sevare, media reported on Saturday.

Gunmen have taken an unknown number of people as hostages at the Byblos Hotel, which is popular with UN workers. Two of the gunmen have also been killed, BBC reported.

The UN mission in the country said it believed "a member of the international personnel" was killed in the attack on Friday in the town, about 600 km north-east of the capital Bamako, the report said.

Mali has been fighting Islamist rebels in the north for a number of years.

Officials said an operation to free the hostages was underway, the report added.

(IANS)