Casualties after rebels attack Malian army convoy in north

A Malian army convoy leaving the strategic northern town of Anefis was attacked on Saturday morning by Tuareg separatists, military and security officials said.

Fighters from the Tuareg separatist movement FLA and Al-Qaeda-linked jihadist group JNIM temporarily seized the town on July 4 in the latest in a series of coordinated attacks in the west African country.

"Our convoy that was leaving Anefis for Gao was attacked this morning near Tabankort. The fighting is ongoing. It is an ambush," a military source based in Gao told AFP.

A source within the FLA also confirmed the incident.

"The army suffered heavy losses, even though the rest of the convoy was able to continue," said a security official requesting anonymity.

"There are many casualties," a local official added.

Images sent by the FLA show what they said were dozens of army prisoners.

The recent violent clashes in Anefis left around 30 Malian soldiers dead and about 60 wounded, according to the official toll released on July 12 by the general staff.

On July 10, the Malian army and Russian paramilitaries from Africa Corps regained control of Anefis after several days of intense fighting.

Mali has struggled to contain a jihadist insurgency that has plagued the country since 2012.