The plane used by the World Food Program of the United Nations (UN World Food Program - WFP) for humanitarian work was damaged by an Islamist attack in Bamako, the capital of Mali, the South African airline that owns the plane announced.
National Airways Corporation (NAC) said the plane "came under a terrorist attack" on Tuesday while on the ground, when Islamists attacked a military base and airport in Bamako. Malian soldiers defeated the attackers after a clash in which several soldiers were killed, the authorities announced.
It said no one from the WFP was injured and that the plane's crew and personnel were not at the scene of the attack.
The Al Qaeda-linked JNIM group claimed responsibility for the attack.
In the videos that the members of that group published on their website, the attackers can be seen setting the plane on fire. They confirm that they caused "great human and material damage".
At least 15 attackers were captured, a security official said.
NAC said it was "tragic" that their aircraft was "damaged in an African country during humanitarian work for the citizens of Mali, under the auspices, approval, marking and flag of the World Food Programme".
Mali, along with its neighbors Burkina Faso and Niger, has been battling armed groups, including some allied to Al Qaeda and the Islamic State, for more than a decade.
After military coups in all three countries in recent years, the ruling juntas expelled French forces and sought help from Russian mercenaries.
While the number of attacks in central and northern Mali is increasing, attacks in the capital are rare.
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