MALI: 25 soldiers killed, 60 others missing after attack on army outpost by militants

An attack by heavily armed militants on camps in the Malian towns of Boulkessy and Mondoro near the border with Burkina Faso on Monday claimed the lives of no fewer than 25 soldiers, with 60 more declared missing.

The Malian government in a statement said the during the attack, their troops killed 15 militants and have since recaptured the area after an exchange of gunfire, but lost a lot of equipment.

Reports say after the attack by the militants, Malian forces immediately launched a joint operation with Burkina Faso and French forces in the region, to track down other marauding insurgents on the region.

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Government officials say this is one of the deadliest attacks against government troops this year.

The West African country has suffered jihadist violence and ethnic rivalries since 2012, when Islamist militants took over the north of the country and France launched its military intervention.

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