Nine people die in attack in central Mali

The attack targeted "Air Base 102" in the Sevare airport area of the Mopti region, causing "significant material damage," the communication unit of the governorate of Mopti said a statement.

Colonel-Major Abass Dembele, governor of the Mopti region, went to the scene and visited the wounded in Somine Dolo hospital, said the statement, stressing that "urgent measures have been taken by the governor to provide assistance and relief to the victims pending other actions in the medium and long term."

Earlier Saturday, the Directorate of Information and Public Relations of the Armed Forces (Dirpa) announced on Twitter that the Malian Armed Forces foiled "a complex attack" around the Sevare camp and airport.

"The situation has been under control since the first minutes. The sweeps continue," the Dirpa confirmed, without giving further details.

There were reports saying that three vehicles filled with explosives were destroyed by army drone fire.

Since 2012, Mali has been engulfed in a deep multi-faceted crisis at the security, political and economic levels. Independence insurgencies, jihadist incursions, and inter-communal violence have left thousands of people dead and hundreds of thousands more displaced in the West African nation.