Malian security minister Salif Traore told AFP news agency that it was a jihadist attack, while conforming the casualties.

"It is a jihadist attack. Malian special forces intervened and hostages have been released," the minister said, while adding, "Unfortunately for the moment there are two dead, including a Franco-Gabonese."

However, the minister added that Malian security forces have gunned down all four terrorists involved in the attack.

"We have recovered the bodies of two attackers who were killed," he said while adding that the search for the other two bodies are presently on.

Meanwhile, Reuters news agency quoted a ministry spokesperson as saying that at least 32 visitors have been rescued from the resort after the Malian forces, backed by UN security forces intervened and took control of the situation.

The attack comes after the US embassy's warning, who predicted attacks on westerners in Mali.

The US embassy in Bamako had said that there is a chance of "possible future attacks on Western diplomatic missions, other locations in Bamako that Westerners frequent".

A similar siege in 2015 in Bamako's Radisson Blu hotel had accounted for 20 lives.

Later, the AQIM, the Al-Qaeda's north African arm said it was behind the attack.

Mali has been witnessing Islamist insurgency for a decade now.

Image: Of the resort from their official website / A UN peacekeeping force image