Mali Renews State of Emergency After Deadly Attack

Bamako: The Malian government has declared a state of emergency, a day after an attack in the centre of the country left 17 soldiers dead and 35 wounded.

In a statement, the government on Wednesday said a period of national mourning would begin on Thursday "in homage to the victims of the terrorist attack" in Nampala, and that the state of emergency would last "for duration of 10 days".

In the hours after Tuesday's assaults two groups – one jihadist, the other ethnic -- both claimed to have carried out the raid on the military camp.

A state of emergency had previously been in place in Mali from April this year to July 15. Until Wednesday however, it had not been renewed.