Following two military barracks being attacked by rebels on Sunday, the Mali army reports that five troops have been dead and 11 others are missing.
The army said in a statement that the firefight in Léré, in the Timbuktu region, resulted in the deaths of over 30 attackers. It also acknowledged the crash of a military plane.
A Malian fighter jet was reportedly shot down, according to the CSP-PSD alliance of mainly Tuareg rebel groups.
As requested by Mali’s military leadership, thousands of UN peacekeepers are leaving the nation.
Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) fighters with ties to al-Qaeda and Tuareg rebels are attempting to thwart the Malian army’s takeover of the UN outposts.