At least 50 Malian soldiers have been killed in a deadly ambush carried out by Tuareg separatists and jihadist fighters in northern Mali, according to local officials.
The attack took place on Saturday as a military convoy was leaving the strategic town of Anefis, following weeks of intense fighting over control of the area.
The Front for the Liberation of Azawad (FLA) and the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda-linked militant group, both claimed responsibility for the assault.
A local official close to Mali's ruling military government said more than 50 soldiers were killed, while at least 24 others were captured. The official described it as the deadliest attack on the Malian army in years.
A military source said some soldiers were reportedly executed after the ambush and confirmed that an investigation has been launched to determine how the convoy became so vulnerable.
Russian paramilitary personnel from the Africa Corps, who support Malian forces, had already reached their destination in Gao before the attack and were not among the casualties.
Mali's military acknowledged that its convoy had been ambushed by what it described as "terrorist armed groups" but did not release an official casualty figure.
The attack underscores the continuing security challenges facing Mali's military government, which seized power in coups in 2020 and 2021 and has struggled to contain jihadist and separatist insurgencies across the country.
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