Mali Bomb Blast: At Least 10 People Killed in Complex Attack Near Military Base in Mopti Region

Bamako, April 22: At least 10 people were killed and dozens injured on Saturday in a complex attack near a military base in central Mali, said the Army. A car bomb exploded near the camp in the town of Sevare in the Mopti region destroying houses and killing people, Col. Souleymane Dembele, spokesman for the Malian army, told The Associated Press.

No one claimed responsibility for the attack, but jihadis are known to operate in the area and have been ravaging the country for a decade. While this military base has been targeted before, this is the largest attack on it this year. The base also hosts fighters from the Wagner Group, a shadowy Russian military contractor, that's been fighting alongside the Malian army for more than a year. Israel: Italian Tourist Killed, Five Others Injured in Tel Aviv Terror Attack; Assailant Shot Dead (Watch Video).

Residents of Sevare said they were going to morning prayers at the mosque when they heard a loud explosion. "We heard gunfire. It was total confusion,” said Ousmane Diallo, a villager in the area. Days before the attack, a senior Malian official and three other people were killed in an ambush in an area of the country's southwest. South Africa Shooting: One Suspect Shot Dead, Two Arrested After Gunmen Kill 10 of Family in KwaZulu-Natal.

On Friday, the al-Qaida linked group known as JNIM claimed responsibility for that attack in it's media outlet, al-Zallaqa Media Foundation. In another incident in Mali's capital, Bamako, on Saturday, a military helicopter crashed in a residential neighbourhood while returning from a mission. It is unclear if there are any casualties, and the army said the situation is being assessed.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)