Two soldiers killed in Mali by explosive device: army
In this file photo taken on September 22, 2018, Malian soldiers take part in celebrations marking the 58th anniversary of independence in Bamako. PHOTO | MICHELE CATTANI | AFP
BAMAKO,
Two Malian soldiers were killed and another six injured when their armoured vehicle hit an improvised explosive device, the army said Sunday.
"A vehicle of the Malian armed forces hit an improvised explosive device" near the central town of Bandiagara, the military said in a tweet.
It was the latest in a string of attacks underscoring the fragility of an area straddling several West African countries which is battling a surge in jihadist violence that has claimed hundreds of lives.
An attack on a military base on Friday left 49 Malian soldiers dead in the eastern Menaka region near the border with Niger.
On Saturday, a French soldier died in the same region after his armoured vehicle struck an improvised explosive device.
The Islamic State group on Saturday claimed responsibility for both attacks.
