Militant attack kills 19 Malian soldiers - Army

At least 19 soldiers were killed in an attack on a military post in central Mali on Sunday. The incident took place in Sokolo military camp in the Segou region, where armed fighters linked to al-Qaeda are known to operate.

In a tweet, the Malian Armed Forces which claims to be in control of the situation, reported a provisional death toll of 19, five injured and equipment taken away.

A local politician said they entered the camp near the village at dawn, opened fire, destroyed some structures and left soon after.

The assault comes after a similar attack on Thursday by armed men in the country’s volatile Mopti region near the border with Burkina Faso, killing at least six soldiers.

Mali has struggled to contain an armed uprising that erupted in the north in 2012 and has killed thousands of soldiers and civilians in the years since.

Islamist groups with links to al Qaeda and Islamic State operate in the area as a base from which to launch attacks across neighbouring Burkina Faso, Niger and beyond.

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