Malian army convoy attacked near Anefis, officials say

A Malian army convoy leaving the northern town of Anefis was attacked on Saturday morning by Tuareg separatists, military and security officials said. A military source based in Gao said the convoy was travelling from Anefis to Gao when it was attacked near Tabankort, and described the incident as an ambush with fighting still under way. A source within the Tuareg separatist movement FLA also confirmed the incident. A security official who requested anonymity said the army had suffered heavy losses, although the rest of the convoy was able to continue. A local official said there were many casualties. Images sent by the FLA showed what the group said were dozens of army prisoners. Fighters from the FLA and the Al-Qaeda-linked jihadist group JNIM had temporarily seized Anefis on July 4 during a series of coordinated attacks in Mali. Recent clashes in Anefis left around 30 Malian soldiers dead and about 60 wounded, according to an official toll released by the general staff on July 12. 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 since 2012.