5 dead in shooting at restaurant in Mali capital

Security officials secure the site near La Terrasse restaurant where militants killed five people, including a French citizen and a Belgian citizen, in a gun attack in Bamako March 7, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

BAMAKO - At least one masked gunman sprayed bullets in a nightclub popular with foreigners in Mali's capital early Saturday, killing at least five people including a French person and a Belgian national, officials and witnesses said.

France and Belgium condemned the attack at La Terrasse restaurant and bar in Bamako and their foreign ministers confirmed the deaths of their nationals.

Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders denounced a "cowardly act of terror" and France's Laurent Fabius said "everything must be done to find those responsible for this crime."

"This attack was led by at least one masked person who opened fire on clients," said the UN stabilization mission in Mali in a statement.

It said nine people were wounded including two experts at the UN mission. The Swiss Defense Ministry said the two were Swiss soldiers.

Two people who were at the scene are being questioned to determine what happened, said a police officer who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the press.