Minister promises there will be no increase in Irish troops based in Mali despite attack

Minister for Defence Simon Coveney has responded to fears that yesterday's horrific hotel siege in Mali would lead to the deployment of Irish troops to the African country.

He was quick to stress that it was not a time to make a knee-jerk reaction to the killings and that the security situation would be addressed in a 'calm and reasonable way.'

29 people were reportedly killed during the siege of a hotel by Islamist militants when they stormed the Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako yesterday morning, taking 130 hostages.

Minister Coveney asked for patience and stressed that the Irish were not going to war with Isis.

"This decision to send people abroad on a peacekeeping mission is being assessed by some in the media as if it's the first time we've ever gone abroad; as if we are going to war with Isis," he said.