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| Mali car bomb 'kills at least 37 people' in Gao | Mali car bomb 'kills at least 37 people' in Gao |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| At least 37 people have been killed in northern Mali in a car bomb attack on a military base, officials say. | At least 37 people have been killed in northern Mali in a car bomb attack on a military base, officials say. |
| The incident occurred when a vehicle packed with explosives detonated at a camp housing soldiers and members of rival armed groups in the city of Gao. | The incident occurred when a vehicle packed with explosives detonated at a camp housing soldiers and members of rival armed groups in the city of Gao. |
| Mali's northern desert region has been restive since it was captured by militant Islamists in late 2012. | Mali's northern desert region has been restive since it was captured by militant Islamists in late 2012. |
| Despite French military intervention in 2013, the region remains tense with sporadic attacks and kidnappings. | Despite French military intervention in 2013, the region remains tense with sporadic attacks and kidnappings. |
| The camp targeted in Wednesday's attack is located in Gao, the main city in northern Mali. | The camp targeted in Wednesday's attack is located in Gao, the main city in northern Mali. |
| A source at the UN Mission in Mali (Minusma) is quoted by the AFP news agency as describing the incident as a suicide attack. | A source at the UN Mission in Mali (Minusma) is quoted by the AFP news agency as describing the incident as a suicide attack. |
| The victims were involved in conducting patrols in this highly volatile area under a deal backed by the UN in a bid to stop the violence there. | The victims were involved in conducting patrols in this highly volatile area under a deal backed by the UN in a bid to stop the violence there. |
| It is not the first time the military in Mali has been targeted in a deadly attack. | It is not the first time the military in Mali has been targeted in a deadly attack. |
| In July last year, about 17 soldiers were killed and 30 others wounded in an attack on a military base in the central town of Nampala. | |
| National mourning | |
| The attackers set parts of the camp on fire before taking off. | The attackers set parts of the camp on fire before taking off. |
| Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has declared three days of national mourning in a tweet following the latest attack. | |
| The fight against extremist groups is one of the major challenges of Mr Keita's government. | |
| But a new report by Human Rights Watch says the Malian government is not doing enough to protect civilians from the jihadists. | |
| Wednesday's attack shows that even soldiers aren't safe, says the BBC World Service Africa editor James Copnall. |