Gunmen stormed a luxury hotel in Mali's capital of Bamako on Friday, taking 170 people hostage.

USA Today reports at least 3 people have been killed in the incident at the Radisson Blu hotel, where gunmen chanting in Arabic broke past lobby security early Friday morning.

According to Malian army commander Modibo Nama Traore, special forces were freeing hostages "floor by floor," facing sporadic bursts of gunfire from the assailants.

At least 80 captives have been freed so far, though reports vary on whether they were all rescued by Mali commandos or managed to escape on their own.

The Washington Post reports some hostages may have been let go by their captors if they were able to recite the Muslim profession of faith.

Guinean singer Sékouba "Bambino" Diabate was one of the hostages rescued from the hotel. He told Reuters he overheard two of the gunmen conversing in English as they searched a room next to his.

"We heard shots coming from the reception area. I didn't dare go out of my room because it felt like this wasn't just simple pistols -- these were shots from military weapons," Diabate said. "The attackers went into the room next to mine. I stayed still, hidden under the bed, not making a noise. I heard them say in English, 'Did you load it?', 'Let's go'."

According to Le Monde, Diabate also said the attackers spoke with a Nigerian accent.

Air France tweeted that 12 crew members had been rescued by special forces.

Other reports indicated Turkish and Chinese nationals were being held at the hotel.

U.S. officials said local forces were dispatched to aid in the crisis.

"We do have some people who are assisting in the hostage recovery efforts at the hotel," U.S. military spokesperson Chuck Prichard said, according to The Washington Post. "They helped move some of the civilians to secure locations as the Malian forces worked to remove the hostile forces from the hotel."

French President François Hollande said his country would "use all the means available to us on the ground to free the hostages."

It is not believed that the gunmen have any connections with the Islamic State. In the past, Mali has faced a number of attacks from militants with ties to other organizations such as al-Qaida.