Attack in Mali: 54 killed, Islamic State claims responsibility

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for an attack in northeastern Mali that killed at least 53 soldiers and one civilian.

This was announced by the news agency of that terrorist group, Amak.

Mali's government said soldiers and a civilian were killed in an attack on a military post in the Menaka region, in one of the deadliest attacks on the West African country's military in recent history, Reuters reports.

Groups close to Al Qaeda and the so-called Islamic State have a foothold in Mali from where they operate across the Sahel, destabilizing parts of Niger and Burkina Faso, writes Tanjug.