Mali base attack kills at least 10 soldiers, sources say

At least 10 soldiers were killed on Sunday in an attack on an army base in San, central Mali, security and local sources told AFP.

A security source said the camp in the village of San was temporarily occupied by the attackers and gave a provisional toll of around 10 soldiers killed.

Local residents described violent clashes in the early hours of the morning. One resident said there were loud explosions and continuous exchanges of fire, and that calm had returned.

The Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims, or JNIM, which is affiliated with Al-Qaeda, claimed responsibility. It said in a statement that it had taken full control of a Malian army barracks in San, in the Segou region, on Sunday morning.

Mali's military said its troops carried out a vigorous response and that the situation was under control.

Mali has faced a security crisis since 2012, with frequent attacks by groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda and Islamic State, as well as by local criminal groups and Tuareg independence movements. The country has been ruled by the military since coups in 2020 and 2021.