Bamako, November 21 (RHC)-- UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has denounced the "horrific terrorist attack" at a luxury hotel in Mali, warning that the violence is targeting peace efforts in the country.  "The secretary general deplores any attempt to derail the implementation of the agreement" signed in June between rival factions in Mali, Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Friday.
 
The condemnation came in the wake of a nine-hour hostage crisis in the Radisson Blu hotel in the country's capital, Bamako, early in the day.  The hostage crisis ended with 27 dead.
 
Citing Ban, Dujarric said that incident took place at a time when a fragile peace process is "making good progress" in Mali.  The UN chief expressed "his full support to the Malian authorities in their fight against terrorist and extremist groups" and said UN peacekeepers from the UN mission in Mali, known as MINUSMA, were on hand to help, Dujarric added.  
 
A militant group affiliated with al-Qaeda reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack and hostage-taking.  Al-Mourabitoun, a group based in northern Mali, posted a message on Twitter saying it was behind the attack on the Radisson Blu hotel.