Five people, including French and Belgian nationals, are dead following a gun attack on a restaurant in Bamako, Mali.

Local police are treating the incident, which shortly occurred after midnight, as a terrorist attack.

At least one gunman opened fire on customers in an area of the capital popular with expatriates.

A Belgian man died when a grenade was thrown at his car and a third European man died in hospital. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said the Belgian was a security officer working with an EU foreign mission.

A policeman, speaking to AFP, said the attackers also killed a local policeman who was passing by at the time. More are believed to be wounded.

The France's foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, called it an "odious and cowardly act."

According to AFP, witnesses initially refused to testify, fearing reprisals.

Islamist rebels, who control areas of northern Mali, are suspected to be responsible for the attack.